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ThatBritGuy:
The fact that the science community has failed to understand this and believes that all it has to do is present facts and people will do the right thing

I don't think you're talking about scientists or the "science community" much there...

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Aug 29th, 2010 at 03:30:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I think rather too many scientists see science as something virtuously separate from politics, except in narrow permitted bounds - i.e. not offered except when asked.

New Scientist had an interview with Phil Jones of Climategate recently and he said that he was very surprised by it all because he'd tried to keep it all completely apolitical.

As if the biggest policy issue in history, with literally trillions of profits in non-renewables at stake, was ever going to be left to disinterested research.

Scientists have spent their time chasing after homoeopaths and astrologers because of 'fraud' while economists have blown up the economy, slashed academic spending on research, closed departments, forced PhDs who could be doing useful research into jobs in finance, or put them on the dole.

Unfortunately just because someone isn't interested in politics, doesn't mean politics isn't interested in them.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sun Aug 29th, 2010 at 07:15:15 PM EST
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