Subvert! A philosophical guide for the first century scientist

by Dan Cleather

Multi-national corporations profit from publicly funded research by restricting access to scientific publications. There is an epidemic of mental health problems among trainee scientists. Post-truth politics has destroyed public trust in scientists and many people think that science does little to improve their quality of life. In Subvert!, Dan Cleather demonstrates the practical importance of philosophy for the modern scientist. Drawing on the ideas of a wide range of thinkers, from 19th century anarchists like Mikhail Bakunin and Petr Kropotkin, to philosophers of science like Karl Popper and Paul Feyerabend, the book is essential reading for all scientists. Subvert is a book in two parts. The first half is an account of the injustices and inequties that are present in contemporary scientific society. The second half is an analysis of the scientific method with a focus on revealing how much of today's custom and practice is based on ideology. Packed with anecdotes that illustrate the real world relevance of the material, Subvert! is a compelling and fascinating read.

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Reviews

[Peredur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan leather is the fucking man!

[Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an amazing book. As a PhD student (and an undergraduate at the time I was reading the book), the book almost acted like an old friend, warning me about the potential obstacles I would run into when I entered academia. But more than that, this book encouraged me to think critically about the research I was consuming, the various motives individuals may harbour in academia and just how broken academic publication is. I was reminded of something Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler (from StrongerbyScience) mentioned in one of their podcasts: that maybe academic journals should introduce an 'intellectual' conflict of interest, in addition to a financial conflict of interest.