Be skeptical like a real scientist

“Be Skeptical 
of Those 

Who Treat Science

as an Ideology”, 

appeared in the 

Wall Street Journal, 

by Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann,

who is the CEO of the

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Desmond-Hellmann 

believes in the 

scientific method,

and discusses 

the difference 

between anti-science 

and skepticism.

"The Bill & Melinda 

Gates Foundation

uses a data-driven, 

evidence-based 

decision-making model." 

"When the evidence changes, 

so does our strategy—

as it did with malaria." 

"Once it was clear 

that controlling the disease

world-wide was practically 

and politically unsustainable, 

we increased our focus 

on accelerating elimination 

in regions where it is 

feasible now."

"How many more 
people benefit

—and how quickly—

will depend in part 

on public confidence 

in science."

“The scientific method 

is not a belief system, 

it is a practice." 

"We would all benefit 

from more practice.”

“Skepticism is the lifeblood 

of scientific progress."

"It is not 
“anti-science”

 to be skeptical

—it’s definitively 

pro-science." 

“But whereas skepticism

and uncertainty have 

always been the heart 

and soul of science, 

confidence and certainty 

are the coin of the realm 

in much of today’s

public discourse." 

"Unquestioning confidence 

is deeply troubling for 

the scientific community 

because it is not 

the currency we trade in, 

and it has led people 

in America and a
round the world 

to question 
scientific 
enterprise 

itself." 

"We should all be troubled 

when science is treated 

as if it were an ideology 

rather than a discipline.”

"Whether it is medicine or 

establishing government 

energy policy, applying

the scientific method, 

and constantly 

questioning assumptions 

as evidence changes 

is essential."

“The point of science 

is not to produce doctrine, 

but to collect and test evidence 

that points toward conclusions, 

which in turn inform approaches, 

treatments and policies 

based on rigorous research." 

"These conclusions are provisional." 

"Scientists talk about skepticism 

to assert that nothing 

should be accepted 

or rejected without 

considerable evidence."

My comment:

Science is not advanced

by a government 

bureaucrat "consensus" 

led by leftist politicians,

who character attack

skeptics who question 

their assumptions, 

and especially their

wild guess predictions,

of the future climate.