[ RadSafe ] Mangano's New Study

[John Jacobus]

Steve,
I think that people have beliefs that hold dear
despite the "obvious" facts.  There are a number of
examples of this in science, e.g., Einstein could not
accept the uncertainty of quantum mechanics. 

The problem is that challenges to one's beliefs is
often perceived as an attack on the individual.  In
your case, the response you received was a personal
attack on you rather than on the facts you presented. 
You cannot reason with such a person.

--- Steven Dapra <sjd at swcp.com> wrote:

> July 3
> 
>          I borrowed the rhetorical form from
> National Public Radio, and 
> from much of the secular press.
> 
>          It is possible that they (anti-nukers)
> believe their data are 
> true.  In some cases, it may be true.  In fact, all
> of it may be true.  The 
> problem isn't so much the truth of the data but the
> way in which the data 
> are manipulated to obtain the desired results, or
> the way in which 
> confounding data are glossed over or ignored.  I
> have already thrown 
> yesterday's RADSAFE traffic into the trash, however
> I recall someone 
> explaining how Sternglass searched long and hard to
> find some type of 
> cancer that increased near a reactor, and then blew
> this (true) data out of 
> proportion, while simultaneously ignoring no changes
> in some cancers, and 
> decreases in others.  (This is not a real good
> summary of yesterday's 
> posting, however I am hoping I have managed to
> reproduce the general 
> idea.)  Context and the larger perspective are as
> important as the data, if 
> not more so.
> 
>          If we acknowledge that the data are true,
> and show the anti-nuker 
> (or whoever it is) that his interpretation is
> erroneous or untenable or 
> that his context has shortcomings, and he refuses to
> accept our 
> explanations, then I would maintain that the other
> party is operating from 
> the position of ideology.  Maybe it's not
> "left-wing" and maybe it's not 
> "extremist" (I'll readily give you that, John)
> nevertheless, I would say 
> it's ideology.
> 
>          Two or three years ago I attended a lecture
> on depleted uranium, 
> and during the discussion I pointed out to an
> anti-DU partisan that her 
> anti-DU "science" had no merit.  She responded by
> accusing me of refusing 
> to accept her claims because -- she said -- I was
> guilty of a racial or 
> ethnic prejudice against Iraqis.  I was prejudiced
> against Iraqis and 
> therefore wanted them all to die of DU poisoning,
> regardless of lack of 
> evidence to show that DU was poisoning anyone.  My
> defamer was employing 
> ideology pure and simple.
> 
>          Although I have heard of the book you
> recommend I have not read 
> it.  I'll try to read some reviews of it on Amazon.
> 
> Steven Dapra
> 
> 
> At 06:38 AM 7/3/07 -0700, John Jacobus wrote:
> >Why do you think they have a "left-wing extremist
> >ideology?"  Is it possible they believe the data is
> >true?  If so, then all the arguements and
> explanations
> >you present will not change their minds.
> >
> >I would suggest reading "Why People Believe Weird
> >Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other
> >Confusions of Our Time,"
>
>http://www.amazon.com/People-Believe-Weird-Things-Pseudoscience/dp/0805070893/ref=sr_1_1/103-7576284-3301444?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183469614&sr=8-1
> >
> >--- Steven Dapra <sjd at swcp.com> wrote:
> >
> > > July 2
> > >
> > > Maybe on the intellectual level they are
> cavemen.
> > > Perhaps they are
> > > left-wing extremist ideologues who have an
> agenda
> > > that doesn't include the
> > > plain unvarnished (and unpleasant) truth.
> 
> [edit]
> 


+++++++++++++++++++
““Few of their children in the country learn English... The signs in our streets have inscriptions in both languages ... Unless the stream of their importation could be turned they will soon so outnumber us that all the advantages we have will not be able to preserve our language, and even our government will become precarious.”
-- Benjamin Franklin, circa 1750, on German immigration to Pennsylvania

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com


       
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