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SUMMARY:Evidence-Based Policy: Doing it Better - Dr. Nancy Cartwright\, Pr
 ofessor of Philosophy at Durham University\, LSE\, and University of Calif
 ornia at San Diego\; Director of the Durham Centre for Humanities Engaging
  Science and Society\; Fellow of the British Academy
DTSTART:20131212T170000Z
DTEND:20131212T190000Z
UID:TALK49333@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ryan Rafaty
DESCRIPTION:An open lecture and discussion with Nancy Cartwright on the to
 pic of her recent book\, Evidence-Based Policy (Oxford University Press)\,
  which reviewers have said is “essential reading for anyone who aspires 
 to rational policy-making.”\n \nFor the last two decades or so\, policym
 akers have been enjoined to base their recommendations on evidence. That i
 s now uncontroversial to the point of triviality—of course policy should
  be based on the facts. But are the methods that policymakers rely on to g
 ather and analyze evidence the right ones? Nancy Cartwright explains that 
 the dominant methods now in use—methods that imitate standard practices 
 in medicine\, like randomized control trials—do not work. They fail beca
 use they do not enhance our ability to predict if policies will be effecti
 ve.\n\nCurrent guides for the use of evidence tend to rank scientific meth
 ods according to the degree of trustworthiness of the evidence they produc
 e. That is valuable in certain respects\, but it offers little advice abou
 t how to think about putting such evidence to use. How\, then\, can policy
 makers use evidence effectively? Prof. Cartwright will explain what types 
 of information are most necessary for making reliable policy and offer les
 sons on how to organize that information.\n \nThe lecture will be followed
  by a wine reception.
LOCATION:SG1\, Alison Richard Building\, Sidgwick Site
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