From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2012-03-02 19:24:52 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Thank you! (On weighing data for choices)
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
A reply that I received after sending this got me thinking about how miscommunication can cause some problems on these lists, so I will explain something.
My educational background is a scientific one (biology and geology focusing on mammalian -- esp primate -- paleontological questions and concepts), and that is the way that I think and behave. So, when I present some data that is still early and incomplete I do so because I respect enough people to just keep it in the backs of their minds, notice its shortfalls, notice what more could be learned to build upon it to be helpful, etc. That is exactly what I am doing, and all that I am doing when data is sparce or multiple reasonable options exist. When someone sends me a post which says, "Well ,what conclusion should I draw from that?" my mind says, "Huh?" because there is not a conclusion, just very intriguing early data to combine with your own experiences and reading to let you draw your own ideas while keeping in mind that those ideas still lack enough data to be firmly known.
Science is NOT what people study in their early years of schooling. Heck, it isn't even what they get in introductory classes for some scientific topics. It is not dry and it is not memorization. Science is all about questions. It is where having as much curiosity as a four year old is valued and questions are sexier than answers. It is where the questions that are not even at all worth considering are often (not always) just ignored as not being worth one's time, whereas ones that MIGHT have one or more portions worth thinking about wind up flattered with questions about the aspects that are missing, the weaknesses that need to be addressed, etc. Science is all about the thrill of the process, but most discovery is not about avoiding being hurt by an electric ell while recovering a boat, or having a chimp give you a concussion, or a bunch of other things (some of which, like these, I experienced in the 1970s). Most discovery happens in sharing interesting ideas, ripping up their weaknesses, noting what is left that might be interesting, and then figuring out the pieces that need to be found to discover if they really have a chance of panning out. It isn't a one shot deal to know something reasonably well; it takes time and it takes work. Science is about "Let's find ways that this question may be tackled" and about questions being sexier than answers.
So, when I present intriguing data it is for people to add to their own accumulated data and to think about; it is not for drawing premature conclusions. Where would the fun or benefit be in that?
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump off the cliff."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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