06 August 2004

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation students need our help

Dear SAS members:

I am the director/founder of a non-profit located on the Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Every year I do a teacher's
wish list for items the teachers need that can't fit into what budget
they have.

This year I have been asked for science fair display boards and microscopes. They have asked for 6 cases of display boards and 20 microscopes. I am writing with the hopes that your organization might be able to help put this needed items in the hands of kids that are thirsting for knowledge.

So many families here are barely able to provide food, heat and shelter, so that the little extras needed for school are often gone without. The minds of these children are so incredible and they have a real desire to learn. If there is any way you can help me to put these in their hands it would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely
Patricia Perkins
Helping Hands of Wounded Knee

If you can help, please contact Patrician Perkins at tperk@gwtc.net. Editor.

The Feynman doctrine and exaggerated science

Forrest,

I enjoyed your editorial on the Feynman doctrine (The Citizen Scientist, 30 July 2004). Your emphasis on its application in the debate on global warming is particularly well placed.

I believe, however, that you should have also pointed out the damage that these scientist do their own cause. The scientist that exaggerates is the one that gets the headlines. When they are shown in follow-up reports to have exaggerated, or to have only highlighted the "worst case" scenario, it makes it that much harder to credibly convince the public the next time. This can cause the public to quickly become skeptical on environmental issues  that often have direct consequences on public policy, jobs, and property rights.

Regards,

Arthur Weerts

More about exaggerated science

Forrest,

I have a couple of comments on your editorial.

1. One of the questions that I have on the global warming issue that never seems to be asked is: Why is it that it is considered immoral for humans to be causing the change. All living things have some effect on the environment but only human activity is considered bad. WHY?. Humans as individuals make moral choices in their behavior, but I am not sure this is the case for humanity as a whole.

2. With regard to the idea that scientists should exaggerate things: There was a bit of a tiff between some members of the press and scientists when Mt. St Helens erupted. The press was complaining that people were not properly warned of the dangers. The scientists had held a press conference and told the press what areas were in danger. When the volcano erupted no one outside the danger area was killed directly by the eruption. Some people inside the area were killed. The complaint of the press was that the scientists did not make a big enough issue of the dangers. In other words, the press was expecting the scientists to exaggerate the dangers.

Jim Hannon

The Feynman doctrine cited in the editorial discussed by Arthur Weerts and Jim Hannon is what I have called this statement by the late Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman during his 1974 commencement address at Caltech: "I would like to add something that's not essential to the science, but something I kind of believe, which is that you should not fool the layman when you're talking as a scientist." Editor.