[Coral-List] Non-scientific thinking

[Steve Mussman]

     "You cannot use reason to change a position that a person did not use
   reason to reach."

     Then use absurdity (:-J) , because Thomas is right . . . we have to find a
   way.

     "The  true  scientist  is quite imaginative as well as rational, and
   sometimes leaps to solutions where reason can follow only slowly; if he does
   not, his science suffers".  Isaac Asimov


   -----Original Message-----
   >From: Thomas Webler
   >Sent: Nov 2, 2012 2:29 PM
   >To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   >Subject: [Coral-List] Non-scientific thinking
   >
   >I can see the sense in John's posting - that we can't use reason to change
   >unreasonable thinking.
   >
   >However, people who reject, without due consideration, the conclusions of
   >the scientific community, are having a larger and larger role in shaping
   >public policy at all levels of government. Science is becoming equated
   >with "mere opinion."
   >
   >I'm not sure if we can stop it, if we can bring reason back into democracy,
   >but I fear that, If we stay silent, we run the risk of losing the policy
   >debate. And if we lose the policy debate, we lose so much more. (No, I am
   >NOT talking about research funding!)
   >
   >We need to find a way to engage people in reasoned dialogue, or we are
   >lost. (And we are losing, by the way.) We want to be scientists, but I
   >think it is also our duty to engage in productive, reasoned discussions
   >with our fellow citizens.
   >
   >
   >
   >Thomas Webler
   >Research Fellow
   >Social & Environmental Research Institute
   >Suite 404
   >278 Main Street
   >Greenfield MA 01370 USA
   >www.seri-us.org
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