(reason.com)

473 points Bostonian | 1 comments | 18 Nov 24 22:04 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

Show context

bithead ◴[19 Nov 24 15:34 UTC] No.42184605[source]▶

"In the process, SciAm played a small but important role in the self-immolation of scientific authority—a terrible event whose fallout we'll be living with for a long time."

Which is it - small or important? All that seems like a bit much.

replies(4): >>42184888 #>>42185572 #>>42186228 #>>42186561 #

1. genewitch ◴[19 Nov 24 17:49 UTC] No.42186228[source]▶

>>42184605 #

have you ever heard of a lynchpin? They're small and usually extremely important. For example, lynchpins hold the backhoe on to the back of my tractor.

In fact, lynchpins are so small and important that the term is used when there's something that is small but so important that missing it would ruin a project, because the lynchpin ties it all together into a cohesive whole.

Also the replies to my sibling have me confused if i am even awake... who hasn't heard "for want of a nail"?

replies(1): >>42186999 #

↑

Scientific American's departing editor and the politicization of science