Independent Replication Validates Science

Balaji argues that independent replication, not peer review, is the true foundation of scientific validation. He presents a framework for how math and computational verification can create more trustworthy science.

Core Concept: Independent Replication vs Peer Review

• Science is based on independent replication, not peer review
• Peer review is only a proxy for independent replication
• Most peer reviews today are just emailed comments rather than actual experimental verification
• True validation comes from being able to download and run code/experiments yourself

The Problem with Current Science

• Science has become the basis of civilization, replacing religion
• Scientific premises drive policy decisions (emissions, masks, etc.)
• Current system relies too heavily on institutional authority
• Trust has been eroded by incidents like the "noble lie" about masks during pandemic
• Many studies have 0 replications but are treated same as well-proven theories

Math as Superior to Science

• Math allows for verification without specialized equipment
• Everyone has computers, enabling mathematical verification
• Example: Bitcoin/crypto defeated traditional economic theories through mathematical proof
• Mathematical verification is more accessible than scientific replication
• Crypto shows how mathematical consensus can work at scale
  • Transaction confirmations are like independent replications
  • Multiple miners verify each transaction mathematically

Future Framework: Science on the Blockchain

• Scientific papers could be fully reproducible from underlying data and code
• All calculations could be independently verified
• Papers could be compared against each other in common formats
• Citations could be traced and verified through blockchain
• Benefits:
  • Makes science more checkable and cumulative
  • Reduces reliance on central authorities
  • Creates universal format for scientific communication
  • Enables verification of calculations and premises
  • Makes citation trails traceable and verifiable

Key Distinction in Scientific Validity

• True science has trillions of independent replications (like Maxwell's equations)
• Modern studies often have zero replications
• Number of independent replications, not citations, should be the measure of validity
• Engineering success proves scientific validity through practical replication