December 12, 2007
Academics Urge Debate on Science Issues
Arguing that science and technology have been overlooked in the presidential debates, a group of prominent scientists and academics is calling for a debate on the environment, medicine and health, and science and technology policy.
The ad-hoc group, which calls itself ScienceDebate2008, includes 11 Nobel laureates, several professors, and a college president — Shirley Tilghman of Princeton.
The Los Angeles Times ran an opinion piece by the group today. In it, Lawrence Krauss, a professor of physics at Case Western Reserve University and Chris Mooney, a correspondent for Seed magazine, argue that a science-themed debate “would reveal which candidates are best equipped to tackle contentious science-based issues, and it would help raise the level of scientific literacy across the board in this country.”
Kelly Field | Posted on Wednesday December 12, 2007 | PermalinkComments
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And which brilliant moderators would ask which penetrating scientific questions? Would there be a snowman to present the case for global warming.
— S. Britchky Dec 12, 02:32 PM #
“Senator Huckabee, could you tell me how many earth years there are in a light year? Senator Clinton, can you tell me Avogadro’s Number? Boyle’s Law? Anyone? OK, Giuliani can you steal it? Oh, no I’m sorry! The answer was: Polyhedral. OK, here’s the tossup!”
— marci Dec 12, 05:21 PM #
Edgy is dull when nearly everyone does it.
I look forward to a debate on science issues. While the discussion won’t pass peer review standards, candidates will at least have to think more about what they spout, prepare themselves with more than quips (or, at least with novel ones), and the public will be exposed to more than the usual provocative, thin rants by infotainment “journalists.”
— wm Dec 13, 09:04 AM #