Category archives: Sociology

Going postal:  When radiation dosimeters got into a box

Going postal: When radiation dosimeters got into a box

HistoryMedicinePhysicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

What is a radiation dosimeter? Why do we need one? To give you an interesting and short response I will remind you what the Japanese government officials offered to Fukushima evacuees after the 2011 nuclear disaster. Having failed to reach their original radiation decontamination target, the government proposed that evacuees could return to their homes […]

To approve or not to approve: this is not the question

To approve or not to approve: this is not the question

EconomicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

Voice and exit are often alternative ways of exerting influence, but with regard to voting the exit option spells no influence; only voice can have an effect[…] A. Lijphart In polls many citizens express some dissatisfaction with politicians. Usual ways to voice this dissatisfaction in elections are absenteeism, spoiled or blank vote, or voting for […]

Research funding: big vs. little science

Research funding: big vs. little science

EconomicsSociology

By Jorge Mejías

With the delicate economical situation that many developed countries are experiencing in the last years, a significant number of questions and concerns have been risen about how to properly assign and distribute funding to scientific institutions and research group leaders. In particular, a relevant question for science funding could be how to optimize the scientific […]

Epistemology in the courts. Or, Sherlock Holmes is dead, long live to Thomas Bayes.

Epistemology in the courts. Or, Sherlock Holmes is dead, long live to Thomas Bayes.

MathematicsPhilosophy of scienceSociology

By Jesús Zamora Bonilla

Strange as it may sound to many people, the fact is that some of the most interesting work on epistemology that is being currently done in Spain is carried out at the headquarters of the Spanish gendarmerie (the well known force called Guardia Civil), in particular, at the Area of Statistics within the corps’ Service […]