In fact, the authors hope to do a preliminary experiment monitoring the spread of the novel H1N1 virus on a college campus, Fowler said.

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To understand why, do a thought experiment.

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If not, or if so and you still deem the belief viable, move on the next step: how do I construct a small experiment to determine if my data-supported belief is, in fact, real.

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But in 1985, David Deutsch, a physicist at Oxford University, came up with a thought experiment that might do this.

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He is a geneticist at the University of Leicester, just as he was in 1984 when he was conducting a DNA experiment that had nothing to do with identifying individuals.

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Now do this thought experiment and try and simulate it in a private sector context.

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The researchers try a version of the experiment where the principals do not communicate with the under-qualified applicants about why they were chosen.

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