Open Science Initiatives promote Diversity, Social Justice, and Sustainability

by Jon Grahe

As I follow the recent social media ruckus centered on replication science questioning motives and methods, it becomes clear that the open science discussion needs to consider the point made by the title of this blog; maybe repeatedly. For readers who weren’t following this, this blog by a political scientist and another post from the SPSP Blog might be of interest. I invite you to join me in evaluating this argument as the discussion progresses. I contend that “Open Science Initiatives promote Diversity, Social Justice, and Sustainability.” Replication science and registered reports are two Open Science Initiatives and by extension should also promote these ideals. If this is not true, I will abandon this revolution and go back to the status quo. However, I am confident that when considering all the evidence, you will agree with me that these idealistic principles benefit from openness generally and by open science specifically.

Before suggesting specific mechanisms by which this occurs, I will briefly note that the definitions of Open Science, Diversity, Social Justice, and Sustainability that are listed on Wikipedia are sufficient for this discussion since Wikipedia itself is an Open Science initiative. Also, I would like to convey the challenge of advancing each of these simultaneously. My own institution, Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), in our recent long range plan, PLU2020, highlighted the importance of uplifting each of these at our own institution as introduced on page 11, “As we discern our commitments for the future, we reaffirm the ongoing commitments to diversity, sustainability, and justice that already shape our contemporary identity, and we resolve to integrate these values ever more intentionally into our mission and institution.” This is easier said than done because at times the goals of these ideals sometimes conflict. For instance, the environmental costs of feeding billions of people and heating their homes are enormous. Sometimes valuing diversity (such as scholarships targeted for people of color) seems unjust because resources are being assigned unevenly. These tensions can be described with many examples across numerous goals in all three dimensions and highlight the need to make balanced decisions.

PLU has not yet resolved this challenge in uplifting all three simultaneously, but I hope that we succeed as we continue the vigorous discussion. Why each is important should be considered from is a Venn diagram on the sustainability Wikipedia page showing sustainable development as intersections between three pillars of sustainable development, social (people), economic, and environmental because even sustainability itself represents competing interests. Diversity and Social Justice are both core aspects of the social dimension, where uplifting diversity highlights the importance of distinct ideas and cultures and helps us understand why people and their varied ideas, in addition to oceans and forests are important resources of our planet. The ideals of social justice aim to provide mechanisms such that all members of our diverse population receive and contribute our fair share of these resources. Because resources are limited and society complex and flawed, these ideals are often more aspirational rather than practical. However, the basic premise of uplifting all three is that we are better when valuing diversity, providing social justice, and sustainably using the planet’s resources (people, animals, plants, and rocks). Below I provide examples for how OSIs promote each of these principles while illustrating why each is important to science.

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Avoiding a Witch Hunt: What is the Next Phase of our Scientific Inquisition?

by Jon Grahe

Earlier this week, I learned about another case of fraud in psychological science (Retraction Watch, 4.29.2014). The conclusions from the evidence in the case against him after an extended investigation are hard to ignore. The probability that the findings could have occurred by chance are so minute that it is hard to believe that they didn’t result from falsified data. In an email to the scientific community (Retraction Watch, 4.30.2014), the target of this investigation strongly asserted that he never faked any data, while assuring us that the coauthor target never worked on the data, it was all his. Some comments from the Retraction Watch post use the term “witch hunt.” It was the first term I used in response as well, suggesting caution before judgment. A colleague pointed out that the difference was that there were no witches, and that there are clearly dishonest scientists. I have no choice but to agree; I think a better analogy is that of the Inquisition. We are entering the era of the Scientific Inquisition. A body of experts (LOWI in this case) will use a battery of sophisticated tools to examine the likelihood that the findings’ irregularities occurred by chance. In this case it is hard to believe his denial, but thankfully I am not a judge in the Scientific Inquisition.

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