Scientific progress despite irreproducibility: A seeming paradox

TL;DR

Despite concerns about irreproducibility, scientific progress continues rapidly, and this paradox is inherent to science's nature, requiring selective remedies and emphasizing science's successes to foster ongoing advancement.

Contribution

This paper argues that the paradox of scientific progress amid irreproducibility is inherent and reviews challenges, factors enabling science's success, and suggests balanced remedies.

Findings

Science advances rapidly despite reproducibility issues.

Remedies should be applied selectively to avoid hindering progress.

Communication should highlight science's successes alongside problems.

Abstract

It appears paradoxical that science is producing outstanding new results and theories at a rapid rate at the same time that researchers are identifying serious problems in the practice of science that cause many reports to be irreproducible and invalid. Certainly the practice of science needs to be improved and scientists are now pursuing this goal. However, in this perspective we argue that this seeming paradox is not new, has always been part of the way science works, and likely will remain so. We first introduce the paradox. We then review a wide range of challenges that appear to make scientific success difficult. Next, we describe the factors that make science work-in the past, present, and presumably also in the future. We then suggest that remedies for the present practice of science need to be applied selectively so as not to slow progress, and illustrate with a few examples. We conclude with arguments that communication of science needs to emphasize not just problems but the enormous successes and benefits that science has brought and is now bringing to all elements of modern society.