[Coral-List] Science and advocacy

[Steve Mussman]

Doug Fenner revealed significant insight in his recent
post on science and advocacy. There were two points I 
would like to reiterate for emphasis.


We need to work as hard as possible to keep the 
science itself undistorted by external biases.

           And 

Scientists as citizens, have as much right as any other 
citizen to speak out on important issues, and they may 
have more knowledge of the problems than the average person 
on the street.  Society needs them to speak out.


I would only add that you as scientists undoubtedly have 
more knowledge than the average person on the street and 
society needs you to speak out in order to counter the 
shameless misinformation being disseminated without similar 
restraint by unprincipled ideologues. 

    Regards,
     Steve