Scientific Impartiality

Russell (2009) stated that the scientific mind is neither sceptical nor dogmatic and discoveries are never absolute. Popper (1966) stated that the aim of an argument should be progress rather than victory. Yet certainty makes it difficult to believe conflicting evidence (Russell, 2016).

“Some things are believed because people feel as if they must be true, and once this occurs, an immense weight of evidence is necessary to dispel the belief” (Russell, 2016).

According to Bohm, impartiality is about setting aside one’s own biases, beliefs and assumptions in order to truly listen to, understand others and to work together towards common goals (Bohm, 2013). Impartiality is a means of overcoming the fragmentation and polarisation that usually occurs in groups and societies.

“The scientific state of mind is neither sceptical nor dogmatic. The sceptic holds that the truth is undiscoverable, while the dogmatist holds that it is already discovered. The man of science holds that the truth is discoverable though not discovered, at any rate in the matters which he is investigating.
But even to say that the truth is discoverable is to say rather more than the genuine man of science behaves, since he does not conceive his discoveries as final and absolute, but as approximations subject to future correction. Absence of finality is the essence of the scientific spirit. The beliefs of the man of science are therefore tentative and undogmatic” (Russell, 2009).

Bohm states the importance of creating a safe and respectful space for dialogue, in which individuals can express themselves freely and openly, without fear of judgment or retribution (Bohm, 2013). Bohm viewed impartiality as a key component of effective communication, collaboration, problem-solving and as a necessary quality for building more harmonious and compassionate societies which is essential for a sustainable future. Yet discourse appears to be polarised and some academics even marginalised preventing healthy scepticism and rigor in science policy research (Bhattacherjee, 2012; Bohm, 1985, 1992, 2003; Chong & Druckman, 2007; Gregory, 2018; Rosling, 2019; Russell, 1928; Sang, 2009; Stoker & Curry, 2020; Whitehead, 2014).

“Once we make the critical (and false) assumption that thought and knowledge are not participating in our sense of reality, but only reporting on it, we are committed to a view that does not take into account the complex, unbroken processes that underlie the world as we experience it” (Bohm, 1992).

Bohm’s view is that we have a hereditary belief that mind (or thought) is of a higher order than matter, nurturing a faith in “objectivity,” (Bohm, 1992). Bohm defines objectivity as “the capacity to observe and report neutrally on some object or event, without having any effect on what we are looking at, or without being affected by it.” He made considerable contributions to philosophy of mind and the nature of consciousness. He proposed a radical concept of the relationship between mind and matter, suggesting that they are part of an undivided whole. Bohm was actively involved in promoting dialogue between people from different cultures and developed a dialogue process called the “Bohm Dialogue,” designed to help individuals communicate and think more creatively and collaboratively (Bohm, 2013).

Bohm argues that this has historically given us a paradigm where isolated, fragmented parts mechanically interact with one another. Holding this knowledge and principles as fixed prevents learning (Bohm, 1992; Chinnaiah, 2018; Chong & Druckman, 2007; Gregory, 2018; Grint, 2005; Lakoff, 2014; Papafragou, 2000; Rosling, 2019; Sang, 2009). Lakoff (2014) similarly states that most of how we think is unconscious, emotional, uses the “logic of frames”, metaphors and narratives.

“For it is of the essence of scientific honesty that you do not pretend to know what you do not know, and of the essence of scientific method that you do not employ hypotheses which cannot be tested. The immediate results of this honesty have been deeply unsettling and depressing. For man seems to be unable to live without myth, without the belief that the routine and drudgery, the pain and fear of this life have some meaning and goal in the future. At once new myths come into being—political and economic myths with extravagant promises of the best of futures in the present world. These myths give the individual a certain sense of meaning by making him part of a vast social effort, in which he loses something of his own emptiness and loneliness. Yet the very violence of these political religions betrays the anxiety beneath them—for they are but men huddling together and shouting to give themselves courage in the dark” (Watts, 1951:19).

Lack of shared meaning

Bohm (1985) states that the lack of “shared meaning”, is the biggest obstacle to progress and hinders the dissemination of information. Bohm (1985) further discusses the need for dialogue which involves active listening, where one remains open, curious, and involved with others, even in the face of disagreement or conflict. In his book “On Dialogue” (Bohm, 1985), writes that impartiality requires a willingness to let go of our assumptions and listen without judging to others, while paying attention to the underlying structures or thought processes that shape our perceptions and beliefs. Bohm (1980) states that it is crucial to ask the right questions with scientific enquiry, yet every question contains implied presuppositions. Wrong or confusing presuppositions means the question to a problem will give no meaningful answer. When the presuppositions are changed new questions can be asked leading to paradigm shift in understanding. Where scientists become entrenched in paradigms that define their own work (Saad, 2020) the science can be perceived as a matter of fact (Bohm, Kelly, & Morin, 1996). The scientist can become a science advocate rather than an honest broker (Pielke, 2007).

“The world we see is far more than those words, but it is organized through a representation in which those words have had a big effect.”  (Bohm, 1992).

The meaning of an abstract concept can be very different depending upon how it is represented and are only partially correct or even illusory, therefore making collaboration difficult (Bohm, 1992). Reality is filtered by our perception, filtered by our framing and thus a cause of conflict due to the contradiction of ‘facts’ (Bohm, 1980). Policy adoption is not always simple and is open to interpretation, politicians and policy makers need more than clear data (Bohm, 1992; Rosling, 2019).

With such uncertainty it is important to create an environment where the views of others are respected, and discourse remains impartial. Bohm (Bohm, 2013) discusses with the spirit of the dialogue there is no attempt in an argument or discussion to win or make a particular view prevail. There is the spirit of learning from one another.

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