…
Switzerland
Former EPFL Vice President Mortensen urges distinction between scientific knowledge and opinion
Herz — Switzerland Desk · · 30s summary · 2 min read
The essentials
Andreas Mortensen, former research vice president at EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and president of EPFL Press, published an opinion piece in the Swiss newspaper Le Temps on July 18, 2026. He argues that science is not a matter of opinion and that the boundary between knowledge and non-knowledge has become dangerously blurred. Mortensen outlines the scientific method and emphasizes the growing responsibility of experts to communicate, impartially, what is factually established.
- The boundary between scientific knowledge and opinion has become dangerously blurred.
- The scientific method transforms a hypothesis into knowledge through collective validation.
- Experts are increasingly expected to communicate facts impartially and calmly.
- The opinion piece is part of Le Temps' thematic series on why we change our minds.
What we know
Andreas Mortensen, former research vice president at EPFL—the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, a technical university founded in 1853—and president of the EPFL Press foundation (EPFL Press, a scientific publishing house based at EPFL), published an opinion piece in the Swiss newspaper Le Temps on July 18, 2026.
In this piece, Mortensen argues that science is not a matter of opinion, but that the boundary between what constitutes knowledge and what does not has become dangerously blurred.
The scientific method as described by Mortensen
Mortensen describes the process in several steps: a hypothesis is first tested against logic or experience.
If the conclusion is clear, it is confirmed by repeating the experiment, which is then published and validated by other researchers. The hypothesis then acquires the status of knowledge.
The growing responsibility of experts
Mortensen emphasizes that experts are increasingly asked to communicate, calmly and impartially, what is known and factually true.
Context of publication
The opinion piece is part of a thematic series in Le Temps titled 'Be persuaded or stand by your ideas? Why do we change our minds?', which blends philosophy, history, and politics.
What remains uncertain
The opinion piece does not specify which scientific fields or which actors are particularly targeted by the blurred boundary described between knowledge and opinion. No response from the academic community to this publication is currently available.
Who is Andreas Mortensen?
Andreas Mortensen is a former research vice president at EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and president of the EPFL Press foundation, a scientific publishing house based at EPFL.
What is the main argument of the opinion piece?
Mortensen argues that science is not a matter of opinion and that the boundary between knowledge and non-knowledge has become dangerously blurred. He calls on experts to communicate established facts calmly and impartially.
Where and when was the opinion piece published?
In the Swiss newspaper Le Temps on July 18, 2026 at 12:57 p.m., as part of a thematic series exploring why we change—or do not change—our minds.
Topics
Related articles
Latest articles
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to react.
