[ RadSafe ] (no subject)

[Douglas Minnema]

This reminds me...

I read a good book a few years ago called "The Blank Slate" by Steven Pinker.  It discussed the debate about how much of our personality and behaviors come from "hard-wired" genetics versus environment and parenting.  I am not trying to start up a debate here on this subject, but wanted to share one of Pinker's conclusions that is relevant to this comment.  

If one accepts that "hard-wired traits" play a role, then one comes to the conclusion that there are certain topics where a society will never reach a common understanding because of the way the various hard-wired traits influence the individuals' worldviews.  Pinker provided a few examples, two of which I'm sure you all can guess - religion and politics.  But interestingly, he also added nuclear power to that list.  His view was that in these areas, the members of a society would just have to get to the point where they agree to disagree.

Given that, I think that tossing the facts out and letting them draw their own conclusions is probably the most realistic approach. 

By the way, (and staying on the topic of nuclear applications) if correct, this view of the world would have significant implications for things like safety culture and conduct of operations, where individual attitudes and values play an important part in ensuring safe operations.

Doug Minnema, PhD, CHP

>>> "Miller, Jason" <jmill11 at entergy.com> 11/04/11 2:21 AM >>>
I have been following this mailing list for a while, and thus is why I have come to ask for a little help. I work at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station here in Vernon, Vt. I am an Aux operator here. The public opinion is not to high regarding the power plant, moreover I tend to be drawn to a public board that a few anti nukes also post on. I have pretty much exhausted all my efforts to not really convince but to just toss the facts out there and let them draw their own conclusions. This is why I turn to the tried and true professionals, especially in the HP field! This board is kind of a lost cause but I still find the need to set the record straight. If nothing else it gets pretty funny at times reading it. Thanks in advance.

Jason M.

http://www.topix.com/city/brattleboro-vt
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