Cargo Cult Science Essay

Cargo cult science is a term used by Richard Feynman to describe a method or idea that imitates the scientific process but is not done for a scientific purpose. In “The Uncertainty of Science” he goes on to clarify that legitimate science accounts for the uncertainties found in science: it is the search for answers, faults in methods, and data to support theories. However, in “Cargo Cult Science” Feynman explains how sometimes “science” is used for personal gain, instead of for the benefit of society like actual science should. Cargo cult sciences do not occur only amongst scientists, but by anyone who improperly uses/executes. There are many different types of cargo cult science that each happen for different reasons.. Cargo cult science
Lawson had brought data to Mr. Sink, clearly showing evidence of a design better than Warren’s, but was brushed off. Sink decided to side with Warren even though he knew that Lawson was correct. As Vandivier says, “to concede’ that Lawson’s calculations were correct would also mean conceding that Warren’s calculations were incorrect.” This means that Sink would be held responsible for trusting the judgment of someone unfit for the job. So, instead of admitting his mistake, Sink ignored Lawson’s evidence and continued to back Warren’s work. By doing so, Sink caused more cargo culting to occur: improper experiments and false data that only showed what the company wanted. This case is similar to the case in Feynman’s “Cargo Cult Science”, in which the work of Mr. Young had been ignored, leading to poor rat running
The work done by Lawson was completely scientific. He continued to test Warren’s four pad design, until he knew that the design was incapable of handling the stress, which is exactly what Feynman says science is about in “The Uncertainty of Science” (17). He then ran his own calculations and found different answers, instead of altering them to fit Warren’s calculations, like many scientists had with Millikan’s experiments, he reported them to Warren and then to Sink, which is exactly what science is about: finding a problem, solving the problem, and reporting the answers to other scientists, or in this case engineers. Feynman splits science into three categories: “…a method of finding things out…[a] body of knowledge arising from the things found out…[and] the actual doing of new things.” (Uncertainty 10). In order for science to be actual science, it must benefit society and not an individual, this means that experiments and data are done and recorded correctly. The data should then be reported to other scientists accordingly: not like the scientists that Freeman Dyson discussed in his, “Science on the Rampage”, whom had become so obsessed with their beliefs that they began reporting them as