Monday, November 02, 2009
Richard Baum, M.P. on Johnson and Nutt
Baum says, inter alia, "I don’t think that Nutt's criticism of Mr Johnson is motivated by a respect for science. I think it’s motivated by a dislike for the government. On this occasion, I think that it is Professor Nutt who has overstepped the mark, not Mr Johnson. Ministers set policy, so that we can vote them in or out for doing so. The day that unelected advisers think that they set policy, no matter how informed their advice, is not a good day.
IMO: Bravo ! Some sense at last !
Mr Johnson writes: “There are not many kids in my constituency in danger of falling off a horse – there are thousands at risk of being sucked into a world of hopeless despair through drug addiction.”
IMO: Fair enough.
Sacked scientist Prof Nutt has said he doubts any “true” scientist could work for Mr Johnson.
IMO: Does Nutt therefore mean that unelected advisors should set public policy . But surely that is Stalinist and reeks of a wouldbe dictatorship. I do not want a dictator, whether he be a jumped-up scientist, an Imam, or the Pope. When I ran a scientific journal, for 7 years, I kept running up against guys like Nutt, usually ignorant types without any broad, human view - but with a deep sense of self-importance and unenlightened self-interest. Let's hope this is a usual 9 day wonder.
(added 4 Nov 09 : I feel I have to mention this post as it puzzles me. These people are usually trying to be sincere but they seem to have missed the true situation here, as for example on Nutt's obvious bias against Labor, his apparent personal involvement and his foolish horseriding comment. I am off to India and I do not have time to follow this up, but just hope the amateur scientists do not go overboard in favor of the overpaid Guardianista lobby in a foolish way. As just said, I've sure seen those Asperger's types before, and their approach is a problem in science dissemination - I have two big cases of that type currently in mind.)
IMO: Bravo ! Some sense at last !
Mr Johnson writes: “There are not many kids in my constituency in danger of falling off a horse – there are thousands at risk of being sucked into a world of hopeless despair through drug addiction.”
IMO: Fair enough.
Sacked scientist Prof Nutt has said he doubts any “true” scientist could work for Mr Johnson.
IMO: Does Nutt therefore mean that unelected advisors should set public policy . But surely that is Stalinist and reeks of a wouldbe dictatorship. I do not want a dictator, whether he be a jumped-up scientist, an Imam, or the Pope. When I ran a scientific journal, for 7 years, I kept running up against guys like Nutt, usually ignorant types without any broad, human view - but with a deep sense of self-importance and unenlightened self-interest. Let's hope this is a usual 9 day wonder.
(added 4 Nov 09 : I feel I have to mention this post as it puzzles me. These people are usually trying to be sincere but they seem to have missed the true situation here, as for example on Nutt's obvious bias against Labor, his apparent personal involvement and his foolish horseriding comment. I am off to India and I do not have time to follow this up, but just hope the amateur scientists do not go overboard in favor of the overpaid Guardianista lobby in a foolish way. As just said, I've sure seen those Asperger's types before, and their approach is a problem in science dissemination - I have two big cases of that type currently in mind.)
# posted by uv : 6:11 AM
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