An Asemics of Conflation - Government Policy and Science / EZE, 2026

AI:

The public often conflates government policy with science because the two are deeply intertwined in the decision-making process, leading many to view political mandates as direct scientific "facts." This confusion is driven by several systemic and psychological factors:

• Political Framing and Selective Citing: Policymakers frequently frame ethical and social debates as simple disputes over scientific facts to gain legitimacy [1]. Different political parties often cite entirely different scientific studies to support their specific policy goals, making "science" appear inherently partisan [1, 2].
• Scientific Uncertainty vs. Political Certainty: While science deals in probabilities and evolving hypotheses, politicians often demand absolute certainty and immediate solutions [1, 2]. When a policy changes as new data emerges—a natural part of the scientific process—the public may perceive it as a failure of science rather than an update of information [1, 2].
• Political Interference and Distortion: Governments sometimes suppress or alter scientific data that contradicts their preferred outcomes [1, 2, 3]. This manipulation erodes public trust, as citizens may begin to view all government-backed research as ideologically driven [1, 2].
• Identity and Partisan Bias: Individuals often reject scientific information that conflicts with their political identity or moral values [1, 2]. Research shows that people struggle to distinguish factual claims from opinions when the information is presented through a partisan lens [1].
• Institutional Wariness: A growing portion of the public is wary of powerful institutions they perceive as unresponsive to their concerns [1]. When science is delivered through these institutions as the sole basis for restrictive or controversial policies, the skepticism toward the institution often transfers to the science itself [1, 2].