The fact that subjective considerations can influence what is accepted as a scientific fact can occur in any area of science, but the point being made here is that it is an important characteristic of biological reasoning, not a minor aspect or an aberration. It is what biologists do. Subjectivity is less significant in physics. Disagreements among physicists regarding explanations or behavior of physical systems are rare. Their occurrence, consequently, attracts attention as, for example, the dispute among physicists regarding whether nuclear reactions occurred in a particular apparatus resulting in the production of power via cold fusion. Otherwise, what could be called disputes among physicists are prosaic (the 5th decimal point in the melting point of lead, or the 8th decimal point in the universal gravitational constant) or obscure (the strangeness and color of a yet undiscovered quark).

 

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The opinions expressed here are solely those of Andrew A. Marino in his individual capacity.