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I've been deeply into heated arguments that I thought I
was winning overwhelmingly by my flawless use of deductive argument.......only
to learn that logical deduction is a foreign language spoken only by a small and
insignificant minority (and my arguments had not even been heard, much less
accepted)!! Ed
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 9:03
AM
Subject: Re: Dirty bombs(more on the
LNT)
We had an experience recently that
sheds a new light on public "radiophobia" or whatever one wants to call the
prevalent anti-nuclear sentiments. A clerk in a local bookstore, getting
into a very minor controversy about something nuclear, allowed as how "we were
entitled to our opinions and she was entitled to hers." In other words,
she, and I'm sure many others, think that being anti-nuke is purely a matter
of opinion or preference, like being a Democrat rather than a
Republican. A similar argument is made by "creationists."
This is
not fear, or lack of trust, or lack of understanding. It is sort of
"I'll think what I want to think, regardless of external factual
evidence." I believe this is the battle we fight , just as Clarence
Darrow fought at the Tennessee "Monkey Trial" and much like the battles fought
over school integration.
I am somewhat at a loss as to how one
addresses this, except by pointing otu that adhering to an opinion that is
contradicted by evidence is ultimately cotnrary to the public
welfare.
Ruth
Ruth Weiner, Ph.
D.
ruthweiner@aol.com
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