4. But science has fallen prey to obfuscation

And yet, I don’t think the trend lines are good. As the science world developed more awareness of structure over the past century, it fell victim to obfuscation, as Michael Crichton pointed out in his 1975 short paper. Here’s a rather bleak and pivotal paragraph from his discussion that hammers home the obfuscation problem:

Contrary to popular belief, there is little historical precedent for bad writing. Scientific prose is usually said to begin with Galileo, and the Starry Messenger is a classic of vigorous exposition. Even as late as the 19th century physicians stated their views with strength and conviction. Only in the 20th century has obfuscation become widely acceptable.