Sheila Colla, Ph.D

(This thread is commentary, not criticism!) The "anti-science" label is tricky, because the attacks on science are being framed in the rhetoric of good science: transparency, rigor, objectivity, open debate How can promoting these values be *anti* science? 1/

If science is understood narrowly as the pursuit of truth, it's hard to explain what's wrong with any of these things, because they self-evidently promote the pursuit of truth In the jargon of #philsci, they're all clearly epistemic ("truth-promoting") values 2/

But notice that Gleick's science isn't aimed narrowly at the pursuit of truth. His aims are much broader, addressing important threats to human health and the environment. 3/

I've argued that this is true in general. Most scientific fields don't just have epistemic aims, like truth and understanding. They also have pragmatic or practical aims. 4/ www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....

And members of the general public think so too! In my survey work (still under review), we've found that even political conservatives tend agree that a primary aim of science — along with truth — is to improve our understanding of threats to human health and the environment. 5/ osf.io/ks2ta_v1/

Because science typically has practical aims, the standards of good science need to go *beyond* truth. Just exemplifying those epistemic values at the top of the thread isn't good enough. Science should be "fit-for-purpose." 6/ link.springer.com/10.1007/s131...

Scientists have often been trained to adopt value-free, politically nonpartisan positions in social controversies. (See Marcia McNutt's comments this morning.) But this posture is itself anti-scientific, when it enables the weaponization of purported scientific values. 13/

Instead, I think scientists should be explicit about the values that motivate and influence their work. In my survey work on this — which has been published! — disclosing values like protecting human health seems to *increase* trust relative to value-freedom. 14/ www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....

Take home message: Science and advocacy aren't mutually exclusive, because most science are *already* advocates. They just don't present themselves as *partisans*. Scientists should be explicit that their work is about making a better world. 15/15

www.instagram.com/reel/DJ4UiSB...

#HappyWorldBeeDay www.instagram.com/p/DJ4QK3eNw7...

#HappyBeeDay

if you are feeling helpless, a simple but incredibly valuable thing that many of us can do after a catastrophe is sign up to donate blood and plasma. www.blood.ca/en

Every day is ##EarthDay. #SaveWildBees

"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." - President Lyndon B. Johnson

Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.

Euro HBs came here with colonists and continue to extract pollen and nectar from native pollinators. Canadian bees don't make honey. The HB industry is for sure capitalist. Worst analogy ever. Flies are critical pollinators, esp. in Northern Canada. Go to school.

This guy needs a biology lesson but yes wild bees pollinate. Euro HBs make honey & pollinate at a smaller scale than wild bees would if we took care of ag-lands. Flies (depending on which) have their own benefits whether its pollinating, esp in the north, parasitism (keeping populations in check).

Meghan Markle's new @netflix show sure isn't going to help with this.

Alt text to describe the image: Two children and an adult in a swimming pool. Above a child struggling to swim is the text “Native pollinators.” The adult has her back to him. The adult (“General public”) is instead focused on a happy, safe child who is identified as “Honeybees” for this meme.

Happy #WorldWildlifeDay. A friendly reminder that livestock cannot replace native biodiversity, despite what you may have heard.

A significant victory in the legal effort to reform grass and weeds bylaws. Wolf Ruck of Mississauga was in the Ontario Court of Appeal yesterday, arguing that Mississauga’s enforcement against his naturalized garden were unjustified under Administrative law. 1/3 #BylawsForBiodiversity

#BeachesEastYork, today is the last day to advance vote. I went last night, and it took just a few minutes. We are so lucky to have an amazing candidate in @DrKateTO to vote for. So beat the Eday rush and vote for Kate today!

💔 February 14 is National Missing and Murdered Relatives Remembrance Day We honor and remember our stolen sisters, girls, two-spirit, and relatives who have been taken by the #MMIR crisis.

www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

There are lots of issues debated in the political sphere that have a wide range of debatable facets and defensible positions. But we have to acknowledge that some issues are binary. Like racism. And oppression. There isn’t reasonable common ground somewhere in the middle of these issues.

Definitely an unserious politician 🤡 www.instagram.com/reel/DF8sfMB...

This is super cool! Browsed with my evening tea ✅

On #WorldCancerDay I'm finally being released from the hospital after being admitted w/ a fever due to my low white blood cell counts. I don't know how I'm going to get through my chemo w/ my 8 & 11 yr olds bringing in all sorts of things circulating in schools. Please @fordnation, #CleanTheAir

The breach extends further, giving Musk’s associates access to systems related to employee onboarding, job performance reviews, and healthcare management. This raises serious concerns about potential violations of federal privacy laws, including those protecting health information under HIPAA.

Musk’s team has been reviewing these position descriptions to identify and target roles, including those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which have subsequently been removed.

Trump is considering executive action to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

Please speak up protect our children. 💚

Approximately 20 members of Elon Musk’s staff have begun working within the Education Department. They have gained access to multiple sensitive internal systems, including a financial aid dataset containing the personal information of millions of students enrolled in the federal student aid program.

@ukulelebee.bsky.social cute name!

It's hard to imagine a more brutal illustration of climate injustice and a failed society than indentured teenage slaves being used to protect the homes of wealthy Americans.

Roughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X https://go.nature.com/42tH8Ai

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... "John Conly, a physician and former head of the University of Calgary’s medical department, on Monday told The Globe and Mail he was not on Alberta’s COVID review panel and never consented to his name being associated with its 269-page report."

To everybody who said our Nazi comparisons were hyperbolic:

Cool, cool. I guess a new generation will be going through the same hell ai am.

Israel’s 15 month war on Gaza has left a trail of destruction, displacement and death, with the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians devastated. — in pictures aje.io/o1ofb8 from Al Jazeera English

Beautiful male rusty patched bumble bee from last summer

Analysis by Dan Balz: Donald Trump will begin his second term stronger and more dominant as a player on the world stage than when he was sworn in eight years ago. The world that awaits him, however, is far different — and more threatening — than when he left the presidency four years ago.

"We hear the voices of the people under the rubble." Rescuers in Gaza rushing to the scene of Israeli airstrikes save those who they can, but are forced to leave many behind, taking a heavy physical, mental and emotional toll. nyti.ms/4a7xaX1