tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337555368793819627.post5401920735215739810..comments2023-06-07T09:04:36.390-04:00Comments on More Grumbine Science: Words to beware ofRobert Grumbinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10783453972811796911noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337555368793819627.post-44146818325447624912008-12-07T10:17:00.000-05:002008-12-07T10:17:00.000-05:00Perhaps not so much a word as a concept, but the m...Perhaps not so much a word as a concept, but the meaning of "uncertainty" is very different in and outside of science. <BR/><BR/>"Sure", "certain", "absolutely", etc are used much more losely outside of science. If half the message that the public gets is about uncertainties, the public thinks that basically nothing is known.<BR/><BR/>It's a very central concept in science, and failure to communicate its meaning clearly (and, perhaps more importantly, relate it to the concept of risk) can blur the message that the public gets. I think this is also what climate science suffers from.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337555368793819627.post-11738620260584012432008-12-06T12:25:00.000-05:002008-12-06T12:25:00.000-05:00Quantum leap - in science the smallest possible in...Quantum leap - in science the smallest possible indivisible change in energy state for a particle, in daily use to mean any large change.Adrian Cockcrofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14695336135416848505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337555368793819627.post-26687426756760105872008-12-03T20:57:00.000-05:002008-12-03T20:57:00.000-05:00Good one. My wife and I use 'obviously' as a code...Good one. My wife and I use 'obviously' as a code for 'I think this is the case but couldn't defend the point at all.' Much the same idea.Robert Grumbinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10783453972811796911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337555368793819627.post-90167412315573711402008-12-03T09:01:00.000-05:002008-12-03T09:01:00.000-05:00Well, this one is a word to be aware of for a diff...Well, this one is a word to be aware of for a different kind of reason, but: "clearly". As in, "Clearly, climate change is/is not already happening." <BR/><BR/>Any statement that begins with "Clearly," actually means that the thing is not clear at all. If it *was* clear, they wouldn't have to assert it like that.Colin Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03180154304090318493noreply@blogger.com