Commentary: Give Me Something to Believe In

In a recent conversation with a friend, we were discussing the environment and the types of tools and research that are used to evaluate environmental impacts. As we talked, my friend said to me, “Oh, I don’t believe in that.”  I asked, “What don’t you believe in?” and he said, “I don’t believe in science.”  Although I was a bit taken aback by this statement, it got me thinking about what it means when a person says, “I don’t trust scientific information,” or “data can prove anything someone wants it to.”  This led to consideration of the question, “what does science give us to believe in?” The “scientific method” is commonly described as a cornerstone of science. The scientific method can provide a key insight into how the scientific process works, and why people might have a love-hate relationship with it!