methodically good social sciences are the best apprpximation we have.
Yes and No. In many cases, the methodology is questionable at best and the results become a part of “settled science” which - unless you’re talking specifically to academics and researchers - is highly problematic.
Should we do nothing then? In many cases - yes. Which sort of illustrates the problem in another way - if we had nothing to say we’d just make something up right? Well, instead of doing that if we have nothing to say we run some polls or surveys and find something to say in them. That’s a huge problem. (Admittedly that’s less to do with social science than media, but the Venn diagram of the two is ugly.)
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That’s a pretty large if. Haha
No group has ever cherry picked the sample set to prove their point right?
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All surveys are flawed. Quantitative social science is a rats-nest of scams, schemes, and popularity contests. If you like that kind of thing.
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Yes and No. In many cases, the methodology is questionable at best and the results become a part of “settled science” which - unless you’re talking specifically to academics and researchers - is highly problematic.
Should we do nothing then? In many cases - yes. Which sort of illustrates the problem in another way - if we had nothing to say we’d just make something up right? Well, instead of doing that if we have nothing to say we run some polls or surveys and find something to say in them. That’s a huge problem. (Admittedly that’s less to do with social science than media, but the Venn diagram of the two is ugly.)
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