Posted on 02/17/2009 7:51:10 AM PST by CedarDave
James Hansen of NASA has written an op-ed for the Guardian that, more than any other piece of his that I’ve seen, expresses his political philosophy. In a phrase, that philosophy can be characterized as “scientific authoritarianism.” Scientific authoritarianism, as I am using it here, holds that political decisions should be compelled by the political preferences of scientists. It is a very strong form of the “linear model” of science and decision making that I discuss in The Honest Broker.
Hansen believes that the advice of experts, and specifically his advice alone, should compel certain political outcomes. He opens his op-ed in the Guardian with this statement:
"A year ago, I wrote to Gordon Brown asking him to place a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants in Britain. I have asked the same of Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd and other leaders."
Collectively, Brown, Merkel, Obama and Rudd lead about 500 million people. The idea that one person’s policy views should carry so much weight in democratic societies is an indication that Hansen believes that expertise should carry decisive weight in decisions. Hansen is not even a citizen of Germany, Britain, or the United Kingdom, so the mere fact that he is asking the leaders of these countries to act based on his say-so is an expression of scientific authoritarianism. Rather than making the case for his preferred policy, Hansen’s argument includes his complaint that policy makers have not followed his advice, which apparently, Hansen believes should take precedent over all other views.
Indeed, he dismisses the views of the public as being too poorly informed, too distracted or unsophisticated to contribute to decision making on the climate issue.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencepolicy.colorado.edu ...
For your PING! lists.
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Lysenko made the most of this image and became more and more virulent in attacking geneticists and contrasting their "useless scholasticism" with his own great "practical successes." He began to speak of class struggle in science and declared in his speech at the 2nd all-union congress of shock collective farmers in 1935 that "a class enemy is always an enemy whether he is a scientist or not." Stalin, who was present, exclaimed at the end of his speech "Bravo, Comrade Lysenko, bravo."
Who was Lysenko ? What was Lysenkoism ?
Hansen is a traitor to the human race. I keep hoping he gets stuck in a snow bank on the way to a GW conference and freezes to death.
P.S.
The only thing better than that would be if Al Gore was riding with him.
Good post.
Hansen is an arrogant twit. He could use a little humility - he just isn’t that smart.
Thanks! Now I have to get some billable work done while I still have a job and able to heat my house with those death-causing fossil fuels.
bump for later
Climate Research NewsClick on POGW graphic for full GW rundown
Ping me if you find one I've missed.
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