Part 2/14:
In recent discussions surrounding the philosophy and sociology of science, a recurring theme is the tension between the professionalized "guild" of scientists and the more open, amateur-driven tradition of scientific inquiry. A compelling critique, articulated in a paper titled "How White Nationalists Mobilized Genetics from Ancestry and Human Biodiversity and Counter Science and Medical Politics and Metapolitics" by Aaron Panovsky Cushing, Nicole It of UCLA, and the Max Planck Institute, delves into this issue. It highlights the ideological underpinnings of what constitutes "science," scrutinizes the authority conferred by academic credentials, and underscores the vital role of amateurs—individuals outside institutional boundaries—in groundbreaking scientific advances.