Perplexity on Rebecca Culshaw Smith, David Ho, and "zombie science."
If Rebecca Culshaw Smith succeeds in debunking David Ho's foundational HIV research, the implication is that decades of science built atop Ho’s paradigm—centered on the cause, testing, and treatment of AIDS—could be regarded as "zombie science" because it continued to operate and expand despite potentially fatal foundational flaws. What Is "Zombie Science"? "Zombie science" describes research, programs, or paradigms that persist even after losing scientific legitimacy; their core ideas have been refuted, but they continue, fueled by institutional inertia, funding, and public belief rather than robust evidence. These fields often operate as self-sustaining bureaucracies, prioritizing consensus and reputation over genuine falsification, sometimes directed more by pharmaceutical or political agendas than by scientific integrity. Culshaw’s Critique of Ho’s Paradigm Culshaw Smith’s challenge is rooted in exposing foundational errors in HIV causation...