Re: Nuclear issues and role of public opinion thread -Tolstoy's insights

[RuthWeiner@AOL.COM]

I disagree with Tolstoy (though I am a great fan of his, and think Anna Karenina may be the best study of a woman's mind ever written) and my disagreement is supported by some actual psychological studies, cited to me by a colleague.  Some years ago a colleague from the Psych Department at WWU and I were discussing this, and he pointed out that scientists are far more ready to change their minds when presented with facts, and have far greater self-skepticism, than people in any other line of work.


Also, Stewart, the anti-nukes DID NOT write the National Environmental Policy Act.  In fact, it might interest you to know that at that time (1969-70),  the Sierra Club was definitely pro-nuke.  NEPA simply requires that the environmental impact of any federal project be considered.   It was broadened to include socioeconomic and human health impact.  It requires consideration of alternatives, but does not require that the least environmentally damaging alternative be selected (in fact there are many instances where it has not been).  Moreover, one can't use NEPA to stop a project -- the only real suits ever brought under NEPA was that an EIS was required instead of an EA, or that an EIS or EA was inadequate.


Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com