NeurIPS Review Debate: Reviewers Refuse to Raise Scores Despite Addressed Concerns

undesirable_12 · reddit · 2026-08-03

A NeurIPS participant criticizes a persistent flaw in the academic peer-review process: reviewers often acknowledge that their concerns have been fully addressed during the rebuttal phase, yet refuse to raise their scores simply because they don't "vibe" with the paper.

The author argues that the beauty of scientific research lies in exploring ideas whose value may not be immediately obvious. They make a plea to the community: if listed concerns are resolved, reviewers must adjust scores objectively, regardless of personal feelings about the methodology.

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