The causal loop you mentioned makes social science hard, but I’d argue that falsification and hypothesis-driven research can still work. Otherwise all the behavioral targeting Meta and Google and co are doing would not work.

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nandomrumber 3 hours ago | parent [-]

If private enterprise want to fund marketing research, fine.

It’s the social science academics living off the public purse I take issue with.

	▲	ModernMech 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		So what? I pay taxes too, and I want social scientists to be paid using tax dollars for the work they do, which I find valuable. There's plenty I take issue with my taxes being paid for but I just put up with it because we live in a society where my priorities aren't the only ones. Why can't you take that approach with social scientists?