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Space/Science » in reply to re: agreed

re: agreed
hank — (archived)

One definition of intelligence is "the ability to make make (mostly) correct decisions when provided with insufficient data". Sometimes we are forced to act not because the danger is clear, but because the consequences of failing to act are unacceptable. At times like this, we often rely on unscientific, but usually sound, philosophical principles that don't guarantee success, but have often worked well in the past. Better-Safe-than-Sorry, Ockham's Razor, the Law of Mediocrity and the Peter Principle are good examples.

When overwhelmed by contradictory interpretations and insufficient facts in a political discussion of a scientific issue with profound social implications, the prudent citizen should pay close attention to Follow the Money. Analyze this problem by who tends to profit most in the short term depending on which decision is finally accepted. Whether you perceive those who will benefit most to be either irresponsible anarchist rabble-rousing environmentalist demagogues, or selfish greedy blood-sucking capitalist parasites, alas, will probably depend more on whose side you're already on than any reason you may bring to the debate.

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