March 3, 2026Open Access

The sophist in the server

Key Points

Confusing rhetorical plausibility with evidential support poses a risk to scientific reasoning.
Large language models can convincingly defend opposing hypotheses, complicating decision-making.
The analysis discusses the role of creativity and judgment in research with LLMs.
Scientists must learn to use LLM fluency while maintaining rigid epistemic discipline.

Abstract

Large language models can defend a hypothesis and its opposite with equal eloquence, raising a new risk for scientific reasoning: confusing rhetorical plausibility with evidential support. This essay analyzes how LLMs reshape creativity, judgment and responsibility in research—and how scientists can engage their fluency without surrendering epistemic discipline.

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Authors

Maria T Colangelo

Carlo Galli

Journals

EMBO Reports

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Institutions

University of Parma

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Building similarity graph...

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The sophist in the server

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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