In Praise of Ignorance (Seriously!), Epistemology (Sort of …), and the Circle of Least Confusion
“Facts are stubborn things, whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion,” so said John Adams in his successful defense of British soldiers charged with murder in the Boston Massacre. At face value, his declaration emphasizes the difficulty (or the futility) of arguing against rock-solid evidence. But Adams' assertion may have relevance on another level for us today as investigators, reviewers, editors, and consumers of scientific information. I'll explain, but first please allow me to relate how this essay started as a recollection of Ophthalmology's (Read more...)