I would remind you to notice where the claim of consensus is invoked. Consensus is invoked only in situations where the science is not solid enough. Nobody says the consensus of scientists agrees that E=mc2. Nobody says the consensus is that the sun is 93 million miles away. It would never occur to anyone to speak that way.

Summary

This quote, attributed to Michael Crichton, suggests that the concept of consensus is often evoked in cases where scientific knowledge is uncertain or not sufficiently established. The quote highlights how consensus is not typically mentioned when discussing well-established scientific principles, such as E=mc2 or the distance of the sun from the Earth. By pointing out this selective use of consensus, the quote challenges the validity of relying solely on consensus when examining scientific matters, implying that solid and credible scientific evidence should be the basis for drawing conclusions.

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