The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss Stephen Fry on Current Events | Self-Censoring of Scientific Publications
Sep 24, 2021
Stephen Fry and Lawrence Krauss discuss the self-censoring of scientific publications and data to avoid offending people. They explore the challenges of balancing free speech and sensitivity in scientific and societal discussions, expressing concerns about the erosion of free thought and the need for open discourse in the scientific community.
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Reasonableness and Time
- Reasonableness is time-dependent, influenced by current culture and knowledge.
- What was reasonable in the past might be unreasonable now, making it difficult to establish objective standards.
Choose Your Battles
- Choose your battles carefully, sometimes it's more effective to be polite and avoid conflict.
- Work out how to be effective in navigating sensitive situations without sacrificing your principles.
Subjectivity of Offense
- The concept of offense is subjective, varying by recipient and intent.
- Even seemingly innocuous words like "normal" can now cause offense.