The 24 October Wall Street Journal featured an long (2200 words) essay by Matt Ridley (member, British House of Lords; author; and former chair of a failed British bank). Entitled “The Myth of Basic Science,” the essay argues that publicly funded basic scientific research is not beneficial, Continue reading
Blog Posts and Writings Tagged: Governance
Blog 86. A message from Kathmandu
The story below is an email from an American anthropology professor who is doing aid work in Nepal. It illustrates what happens when critical reasoning isn’t applied in social or governmental services. For those of us who thought of Nepal as an impoverished but bucolic place populated by kind, reverent people, this report is a new view. Might the developing disparity of wealth and power in the U.S. eventually bring a similar social situation here? Continue reading
Blog 85. Should scientists become advocates?
Scientists are committed to tell the truth, as best they can from the measurements they make in the physical world. But you can’t apply a scientific statement, however true, to just any situation. Continue reading
Blog 84. Headline: CONNECTICUT-SIZED DEAD ZONE
The headline in EOS (earth and space science news) brought memory of an event ‘way back in the ’70s, when, on a warm summer day, my phone delivered a barrage of calls from outraged mothers. Continue reading
Blog 83. Headlines, hubris and earth science
“Budget meddling by congress?” We would rather read something terrible, tragic, or titillating. And short. Continue reading
Blog 80. Belief can be valid
I’ve been preparing a presentation to distinguish science and belief, a little of which appears in Blog 11. Other postings here cover the current science wars in which belief is threatened by science Continue reading
Blog 79. 60 Million Refugees and IDPs
The New York Times (6/18/2015) article cites the United Nations with the headline: “60 Million People Fleeing Chaotic Lands, U.N. Says.” Continue reading
Blog 74. Common Ground on Hostile Turf
In her book, Common Ground on Hostile Turf, Lucy Moore shows that resolution of conflict depends more on the sharing of personal stories than on the facts, legal arguments, or moral claims of the parties. Continue reading