Category Archives: Philosophy

Philosophy

We are the model organisms

Genomeweb today reports Sidney Brenner (Nobel Prize winner 2002 and pioneer in the use of Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism) speaking on a conference. These days he’s pushing a new model organism: humans.

“We don’t have to look for a model organism anymore,” Brenner said. “Because we are the model organisms.”

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Genetics, Philosophy

To be honest

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Bruce Alberts, the new editor-in-chief of Science magazine, has in his March, 21 editorial a nice comment that I would like to highlight here

Scientists share a common way of reaching conclusions that is based not only on the evidence and logic, but also requires honesty, creativity, and openess to new ideas.

Struggling in an area where no (or only seldom) conclusions ar being reached, I agree Continue reading To be honest →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy, Theology

Evolutionary psychology and science: The full error list

The appendix of Frey includes a list of errors based on evolutionary psychology (EP) – some acquired during development of our species, some acquired during individual ontogenesis. It is certainly the best what I have read since the famous study biases Continue reading Evolutionary psychology and science: The full error list →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy

Yes, it is true and and quite right too

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Science reports that the NEJM is being sued by Pfizer

in various jurisdictions on product liability grounds. Plaintiffs are claiming that its products Celebrex and Bextra cause cardiovascular and other injuries. Pfizer asserts that in some cases plaintiffs are making use of published papers from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). So it wants to dig though the confidential reviews of those papers in search of something to strengthen its defense.

Two giants fighting each other… Continue reading Yes, it is true and and quite right too →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy

Phantastic, the peer-review system is broken

A comment on the online Nature website says it all

Phantastic. Moreover, the peer-review system is broken with top PI’s getting away with publishing high impact poorly reviewed rubbish. If more non-peer-reviewed research becomes more prominent it will hardly make a difference to quality and can overall only be a good thing.

commenting on the recent decision at Harvard to automatically publish all papers by its Faculty of Arts and Sciences on the university’s website (except there is a waiver). I am waiting for the first German university to follow; effectively since January 2008 we get all our ordered documents on paper again for copyright reasons.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy

Un altro giro di giostra

This is the book that I am currently reading – a monologue of the world famous journalist Tiziano Terzani – who describes at the end of his life his view of the “scientific” medical approach at MSKCC, the achievements but also shortcomings. “Un altro giro di giostra”.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Genetics, Philosophy, Theology

Would any one trust in the convictions of a monkey’s mind?

While Nature magazine is preparing something about Darwin’s enduring legacy here is a piece from Darwin’s own writings

doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy. Would any one trust in the convictions of a monkey’s mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?

which can be found in Continue reading Would any one trust in the convictions of a monkey’s mind? →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Genetics, Philosophy

New psoriasis gene would have been missed by testing linkage only

A recent study published in nature genetics study highlights a ß-defensin gene where increased copy numbers are related to psoriasis. The normal range is 2 – 12 copies with the risk increasing with each extra copy. I don´t know if the given explanation is really correct: more genomic copies lead to more RNA, lead to more antimicrobial peptide, lead to skin inflammation. Maybe there is an unknown intermediate step: more antimicrobial peptide -> induce other inflammtory interleukins -> skin inflammation.
In any case, Continue reading New psoriasis gene would have been missed by testing linkage only →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy, Theology

In memory of Peter Lipton

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I have been asked to give an evening lecture about science and religion here at a local congregation. At the first moment, I did not want to do that, but finally promised to take up this challenge – there are so many heroes where I could get some inspiration. I remember having read a wonderful paper by an author but could not recall his name. Continue reading In memory of Peter Lipton →

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025
Philosophy

Finally: A true alternative to Thomson ISI® impact factors

That was even worth a note in Nature News that finally a free journal-ranking tool entered the citation market. The attack came by an article in JCB (“Show me the data“), the response was weak. Sooooooo we have a choice now which of the metric indices is being the worsest way to rate a researcher (if you can’t understand otherwise what she/he his doing).
BTW individual IF reporting was never intended but ISI but is now common use in many countries. I don´t believe (as Decan Butler explains) that there is so much difference between popularity and prestige – but there is a big difference between popularity and quality.

 

CC-BY-NC Science Surf accessed 04.11.2025