How many scientists engage in unethical behavior? Does peer review even work? What is the reproducibility crisis? The "white hat" bias? Science has acquired a reputation of mythical proportions, but there are enough skeletons in the closet to warrant some skepticism about its many claims. At its best, science in an indispensable means of approaching truth, but at its worst it can be shortsighted and even just plain wrong.

Today on MindMatters we read some excerpts from Iain McGilchrist's recent book The Matter with Things on the nature of institutional science, with a case study on one of its worst offenders: public health.