Thread by @han_francis

#debate #science #COVID19 Scientific issues are not settled by "debate hall" style debate like you see at the Oxford Common... they never have been, despite the pleas of far right wing media platforms. Political debates are their own ecosystem.

Science debates are settled by making better and better experiments and getting researchers to iron out issues systematically . Brian Greene is an example of someone who actually did the homework...

to achieve the expertise to scientifically debate someone outside his own field. The Twitter spaces of @IanCopeland5 are another example of someone actually systematically bringing the science to bear on current events regarding COVID and holding bad arguments accountable.

Contrary to the extreme right wing pundits belief system, some issues in science are genuinely settled, like the physics of the heart and the existence of radioactivity.

@thereal_truther 's Twitter spaces are examples of places where multiple viewpoints on COVID get to be heard in civilized discussion.

"Debate me man" is nice for podcast shock factor, but its crucially important to get a taste of what real scientific debate is. Debating Steve Kirsch and then having Steve trying to get his opponent fired is not an example of productive scientific debate.

Equating COVID restrictions with "all vaccines bad" is not an example of productive scientific debate.

@SenRonJohnson bringing some @Covid19Critical associated physicians on, having nobody challenge them, making multiple mistakes in simple biology, then getting no actual help to the vaccine injured sciencebasedmedicine.org/ron-johnsons-v… , is not an example of productive scientific debate.

Calling for all public health employees to undergo a Nürnberg trial not an example of productive scientific debate.

Calling for revenge against public health employees is not an example of productive scientific debate.

I call on readers to take a peek into what actual, professionally done scientific debate looks like.