Re: Article: Beware 'Sound Science.' It's Doublespeak for Trouble

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

The following are two letters that were listed in the

Washington Post yesterday, 3/8/04 regarding the

commentary of "Sound Science" in politics.  The first

is from the Secretary of DOE (biased?), the second I

found of more interest.



By the way there is an article by a scientist who has

some first-hand knowledge of science and political

influence.  If you are interest, see



"A 'Full Range' of Bioethical Views Just Got Narrower"

 

 By Elizabeth H. Blackburn

  

 To view the entire article, go to

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35471-2004Mar6.html?referrer=emailarticle

 

-----------------------------------------------

Letter One:



 'Sound Science,' Climate Change and Policy Choices

 

    In "Beware 'Sound Science.' It's Doublespeak for

Trouble" [Outlook, Feb. 29], Chris Mooney engages in

more than a little doublespeak himself and does what

he accuses the Bush administration of doing --

twisting reality to fit his preferred hypothesis.

 

 Mr. Mooney claims that the 2001 National Academy of

Sciences (NAS) report on climate change embarrassed

the administration that commissioned it. This is

nonsense. The administration is well aware of the

scientific consensus that temperatures have warmed

partly due to human activity.

 

 But acknowledging consensus is a far cry from

implying, as Mr. Mooney does, that our understanding

of climate change is complete. Indeed, the same report

also noted that "a causal linkage between the buildup

of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the observed

climate changes during the 20th century cannot be

unequivocally established," and it identified a number

of scientific areas that need further study to advance

our understanding of climate change and support policy

decisions.

 

 The administration's Climate Change Science Program

strategic plan, released in July 2003, addresses many

recommendations from the NAS report and is designed to

accelerate research on the most important

uncertainties in climate science. An extensive review

of the plan just published by the NAS, and ignored by

Mr. Mooney, commends the program for seeking input

from a broad array of scientists and stakeholders and

concludes that "advancing science on all fronts

identified by the program will be of vital importance

to the nation."

 

 SPENCER ABRAHAM

  

 Secretary of Energy

 

  Washington

 

 ----------------------

Letter Two

 

 Chris Mooney cautions that the Bush administration

and others market public policy decisions by affixing

a claim of "sound science" to standing political

commitments. In fact, public policy decisions have

never been ideologically neutral, and differences of

ideology often lead to different solutions, regardless

of the scientific basis.

 

 That all sides wish to claim their decisions are

anchored on "sound science" attests to the value the

public places on scientific and technical knowledge.

Although science contributes important facts to the

decision-making process, it does not provide moral or

political leadership.

 

 Research and experience show that no amount of

technical data will solve value disputes. The public

expects decisions to be based on sound science, along

with other societal considerations -- including

environmental, social, and economic ones. Policy

decisions made in an open and transparent process

where the public has the opportunity to participate

are considered more legitimate.

 

 MARK DAVID RICHARDS

 

   Washington

 

 The writer is a senior associate at Bisconti Research

Inc., a polling firm that has done work on global

warming and public policy.

 

   

Would you like to send this article to a friend? Go to



http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/admin/emailfriend?contentId=A37014-2004Mar6&sent=no&referrer=emailarticle

 



=====

+++++++++++++++++++

""A fanatic is one who cannot change his mind and won't change the subject."  Winston Churchill



-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com



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