Category Archives: Philosophy

Philosophy, Software

Data and methods available? Forget it!

Bergeat 2022

Data were available for 2 of 65 RCTs (3.1%) published before the ICMJE policy and for 2 of 65 RCTs (3.1%) published after the policy was issued (odds ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.07-14.19; P > .99).

Danchev 2021

Among the 89 articles declaring that IPD would be stored in repositories, only 17 (19.1%) deposited data, mostly because of embargo and regulatory approval.

Gabelica 2022 (visualization @ Nature)

Of 3556 analyzed articles, 3416 contained DAS. The most frequent DAS category (42%) indicated that the datasets are available on reasonable request. Among 1792 manuscripts in which DAS indicated that authors are willing to share their data, 1670 (93%) authors either did not respond or declined to share their data with us. Among 254 (14%) of 1792 authors who responded to our query for data sharing, only 122 (6.8%) provided the requested data.

The same issue applies also to software sharing  where less than 5% of all papers is depositing code. And whenever they deposit software, it is even not running anymore a few years later as operating systems and libraries changed.

Both issues took me many years of my scientific life. It is recognized by politics in Germany but also the most recent action plan looks  … ridiculous. Why not making data and software sharing mandatory at time of publication?

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Philosophy

“Nature” will jetzt ethischer werden

Nature schreibt in einem neuen Artikel über die 1964 Ethik Konvention von Helsinki und den 1979 Belmont Report

But these are generally silent about the benefits and harms of academic research whose conclusions could affect groups of people that haven’t directly participated. Examples include research that could lead to people being stigmatized, discriminated against or subjected to racism, sexism or homophobia, among other things. Such work might be used to justify undermining the rights of specific groups, simply because of their social characteristics. Guidance developed by Springer Nature editors aims to fill this gap in the frameworks.

Die Kommentare zu diesem Vorschlag sind nicht sonderlich positiv. Denn letztendlich sind die @Nature Argumente nur vordergründig ethisch — sie ideologisieren vor allem Wissenschaft als “woke”.

Was ist denn schon “potentieller” Schaden und wer definiert ihn? Letztlich ist doch jedes wissenschaftliche Ergebnis dual use: Kernspaltung, Gene Editing und natürlich auch Epidemiologie  und AI.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Allergy, Philosophy

Real collaborations

I have taken part in so many collaborations – on institute level, on a national and on EU level. But usually these collaborations are mainly there on getting monies not in getting any real progress.

So I am very much intrigued by a project in a completely different area – sound localization in the brain – that is simply based on common interest. It includes a great description including a video, Python notebook, discussion forum and is open to everybody who wants to contribute. I wish this would have been possible also in allergy research (where not even published data of the consortium are available for reanalysis).

https://twitter.com/neuralreckoning/status/1536297590618193921

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Joke, Philosophy

Academic age

Ever heard of this term? Here it comes

Another feature that was rated useful was evidence of applicants’ ‘academic age’. This was defined as the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) years for which they’d worked in academia and was calculated from the year of their first academic publication, rather than the year they got their graduate degree.

So while the new Swiss granting scheme looks really nice, I expect that other funders will use the idea and divide impact factor by academic age…

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Allergy, Genetics, Philosophy

Why recent allergy congresses failed

Maybe allergy societies, journal editors and conference organizers never grasped the idea of unconferences

An academic conference is a traditional platform for researchers and professionals to network and learn about recent developments and trends in a particular academic field. Typically, the organizing committees and sponsors decide the main theme and sub-topics of the conference and select the presenters based on peer-reviewed papers. The selected speakers usually share their research with a large audience by means of presentations and posters. However, the most stimulating discussions generally take place over coffee breaks when attendees can interact with each other and discuss various topics, including their own research interests, in a more informal manner, while expanding their own professional networks. An emphasis on facilitating such informal/networking interactions is a central focus of “unconventional conferences”—or “unconferences.”

https://twitter.com/OdedRechavi/status/1522792505124790272 Continue reading Why recent allergy congresses failed →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Philosophy, Software

Responsibility for algorithms

Excellent paper  at towardsdatascience.com about the responsibility for algorithms including a

broad framework for involving citizens to enable the responsible design, development, and deployment of algorithmic decision-making systems. This framework aims to challenge the current status quo where civil society is in the dark about risky ADS.

I think that the responsiblity is not primarily with the developer but with the user and the social and political framework ( SPON has a warning about the numerous crazy errors when letting AI decide about human behaviour while I can also recommend here the “Weapons of Math Destruction” ).

Being now in the 3rd wave of machine learning, the question is now already discussed (Economist & Washington Post) if AI has an own personality.

 

 

The dialogue sounds slightly better than ELIZA but again way off.

We clearly need to regulate that gold rush to avoid further car crashes like this one in China and this one in France.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Philosophy

PubPeer Pearls I

It’s always interesting if we can find a discussion under a PubPeer article with more than 3 comments. Elisabeth Bik collected some of these interesting #PubPeer Pearls at Twitter while I am starting a new collection here.

The longest thread that I remember is this one with 290 comments around a retracted article while my most appreciated PubPeer author Continue reading PubPeer Pearls I →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Joke, Philosophy

Ghost authors

We all know that there are animal co-authors in the scientific literature like the dog of Polly Matzinger. Here is another example, see a further nice story of Sophie Fessl …

https://medium.com/@brainosoph/the-ghost-of-stronzo-bestiale-and-other-fake-scientific-authors-b4e1c6b5f424

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Philosophy

About the ‘failed scientist’ trauma

Three journalists writing about science journalism, administration & support jobs

In recent years, we have seen ‘support’ jobs become more important at research organizations, including roles such as data stewards, research software engineers, scientific community managers and program managers. We have seen how a diversity of roles and contributions drives progress and success in research and innovation. We have come to see the sharp distinction between ‘academics’ and ‘support staff’ as a barrier to effective research because it discourages a culture of collaboration and appreciation of a diversity of roles and contributions. As professionals, we make a significant contribution alongside conventional academics….We work in partnership with researchers, contributing unique expertise and skills.

I think this is much more a trauma from the inside of journalists, department managers et al. than from “active scientists” aka academics who plan, analyse, publish and teach a continuous stream of new ideas. Without standing on the shoulders of others, also the most prolific scientist would fail immediately.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025
Philosophy

Es irrt der Mensch solange er lebt

Es irrt der Mensch solang er lebt, weil er so gern nach dem Falschen strebt (Uhlenbrock). Nach längerem Tiefflug nun wieder mal ein Fischer Höhenflug über Irrtum und Schuld

Der Mensch ist nicht allwissend. Sagen wir: Er könnte alles wissen, weiß es aber nicht. Was ihn auszeichnet, ist sein Zwang zur Kausalität. Der Hering nimmt die Welt, wie sie kommt. Der Schimpanse zweifelt. Der Mensch ist sicher, dass alles im Universum eine Ursache hat. Wenn er sie nicht kennt, ändert er diese Ansicht nicht: Er kennt die Ursachen dann eben »noch« nicht. Wenn alle Wissenschaft vollbracht ist, werden wir alle Ursachen und Folgen des Kosmos kennen. Wer das nicht glaubt, kann immer noch an Gott glauben. Nur wer die Welt für ursachenlos hält, ist verrückt.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 06.11.2025