This idea stemmed from a chapter in my NASM Certified Nutritionist Coach course. This chapter (chapter 3) taught us how to analyze nutrition data to apply it to our practice. NASM stated that there was a hierarchy of evidence. For those who are interested it is:

1. System Reviews & Meta-Analyses of Randomised Controlled Trails (RCT)
2. RCT
3. Observational Research
4. Peer Reviewed Editorials and Expert Opinion
5. Non-peer-reviewed media, including anecdotes and cultural tradition

First a commentary on the epistemology and my opinion on methods of thinking. Science is the worst, best method we have. Slowly we are able to begin to explain the workings of the universe using observation and mathematics. However, science as a method of thinking is young, it is only 500 years old, maybe less. So what about the 1000s of years of knowledge cultivation before, are we meant to disregard all their conclusions. In addition, science is repeatedly proving itself wrong, showing new dimensions of knowledge that previous scientists would never be able to imagine. Epistemology is a wild field and there are a different way of thinking, which until we can prove verify a claim (with empirical analysis) are still valid way of understanding the world.

With that over, the discussion in class turned to fake news which made me think about politics and applying the method of evaluation of nutrition to individual politicians. I thought that it would be impossible because there is no agreed upon goal of politics. In my thinking, there were 4 different goals of a politician.

1. A politician’s goal is to promote freedom
2. A politician’s goal is to promote welfare
3. A politician’s goal is to promote security/international perception
4. A politician’s goal is to promote the economy

There may be more, but how then are we meant to grade a politician’s effectiveness, or how well they fulfilled their role as a statesman? Do we grade them on each? But different people value different things so there is no objectively good politician.

Idk this one was kinda of scrambled together so that I can keep my one a week streak up.