The Fallacy of “Follow the Science”

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a great fan of science. If its findings keep changing, that’s because scientists are doing their job by learning more each day. Individuals and policy makers are wise to take the latest science into account; but they can’t follow science alone to reach a decision. To ask Dr. Fauci, the CDC, or your doctor for guidance based exclusively on the science is to ask the impossible.

Choices involve values and priorities. At this posting I am in California for family. It’s not an ideal time for air travel, given the Omicron surge. It is the best time to see the people I’m with for the week. Science informed my choice of mask and my actions in airports to minimize risk. What it couldn’t tell me was whether to make the trip.