Bertrand Russell's Ten Commandments...

Bertrand Russell is probably best known as a philospher and mathematician, but he was many other things as well.  In his autobiography, he has a section he calls A Liberal Decalogue – essentially, a set of ten commandments for teachers.  As I read them, it occurred to me that they were an equally valuable guide for scientists (who are, after all, teachers of a rather special kind).  Then it further occurred to me that they were a concise illustration of what's wrong with climate science today.  Cherish them:

1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
   
2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
   
3. Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.
   
4. When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.
   
5. Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.
   
6. Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
   
7. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
   
8. Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
   
9. Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.
   
10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
    

A little googling around the intertubes shows that I am far from the first person to make this connection. Late to the party, as usual!