Yes, science is performed by flawed humans. So, for sure it is tainted by bias. Luckily, science is a process, not a static collection of facts. While human frailty does taint scientific work on a regular basis, the scientific method itself is designed to self-correct. In my writing, I focus on replication, peer review, and skepticism as the keys to uncovering the more correct answers over time. However, biases can still lead us astray. For example, take confirmation bias and anthropomorphism.
Confirmation bias occurs when scientists (often unintentionally) focus on evidence that supports their hypotheses while overlooking contradictory data. For example, a researcher studying the health effects of a diet might unconsciously highlight positive findings that align with their assumptions while dismissing studies that contradict them. The peer review process helps mitigate this bias.
Anthropomorphism—the tendency to interpret the world through a human lens, and it is a pervasive bias. We often attribute human-like traits to animals, machines, or natural phenomena, projecting our emotions, motivations, or logic onto entities that function in entirely different ways.
This bias often overlaps with anthropocentrism, the belief that humans are the center of the universe. Anthropocentrism has led to many flawed conclusions, from ancient geocentric cosmology to the dismissal of other species’ intelligence and intrinsic value.
