Many of my scientist friends read this essay by Ethan Siegel in Forbes.com and nodded our heads yes. We spend a lot of our time debating about scientific principles with both other scientists and non-scientists, often to the point of pulling our hair out. And I like my hair! This essay distills the debate into two key questions: (1) What key pieces of evidence led you to your current position and (2) what definitive piece(s) of evidence would settle the issue in a way that everyone can agree on? If you can articulate the answers to these questions respectfully to those who disagree with you, you’ve gone a long way towards solving some of the more vexing debates in science, including GMOs and climate change. Of course, that assumes that you are trying to uncover the truth about the Universe and the way a system actually behaves, not just to win people to your side. You can read the essay for yourself here.
