Science and Truth

“FINAGLE”（欺骗）is not a word that most people associate with science.One reason isthat the image of the scientist is of one who always______ (51)data in an

impartial（不偏不倚的）search for truth.In anydebate______ ( 52 ) intelligence , schooling , energy—thephrase“science says”usuallydisarms opposition.

But scientists havelong acknowledged the existence of a“finagle factor”—a tendency by manyscientists to give a helpful change to the data to______(53)desired results.The

latest of thefinagle factor in action comes from Stephen Jay Gould,a Harvard biologist,whohas ______(54)the important 19th century work of Dr.Samuel George

Morton.Morton wasfa-mous in his time for analysing the brain______(55)of the skulls as a measureof intelligence.

He concluded thatwhites had the largest brains,that the brains of Indians and blacks weresmaller,and______(56),that whites constitute a superior race.

Gould went back toMorton's original data and concluded that the______(57)were an example of thefinagle at work .He found that Morton's“discovery”was made by leaving

out embarrassingdata,______(58)incorrect procedures,and changing his criteria-again,always infayour of his argument.Morton has been thoroughly discredited by now and

scientists do notbelieve that brain size reflects______(59).

But Gould went on tosay Morton's story is only an example of a common problem in ______(60)work.Some of the leading figures in science are______(61)to have used the

finagle factor.Gouldsays that Isaac Newton fudged out（捏造）to support at least three central statements that he could not prove.And so______(62)Laudius Ptolemy,the

Greekastronomer,whose master work,Almagest,summed up the case for a solar systemthat had the earth asits centre .Recent______(63)indicate that Ptolemy eitherfaked

some key data orresorted heavily to the finagle factor.

All this isimportant because the finagle factor is still at work.For example,in theartificial sweetener controversy,it is______(64)that all the studies sponsoredby the sugar

industry find thatthe artificial sweetener is unsafe,______(65)all the studies sponsored by thediet food industry find nothing wrong with it.55._________

A..size

B.shape

C.tissue

D.cell