As to AIDS in Africa, the problem is not shortage of drugs but shortage of condoms (approximately one per man per year).
As to Mbeki, unorthodoxy does not equal ignorance. I think it is very likely that the dissenting view, which he gave more credence to than most, is incorrect. However, several reputable scientists with expertise in the field embrace it. (For example, Professor Peter Duesberg, a molecular biologist (and retrovirus expert) at UC Berkeley.) We can't very well call them ignorant, or even misinformed; they simply hold an extremely unpopular, and probably incorrect--but not uneducated--opinion. Sorry if I got you started. But freedom is a precondition of progress in every area of human inquiry and civilization, especially science. The extent to which it becomes acceptable to silence dissent and refuse to debate well-credentialed dissenters is the extent to which we are waging a religious war, not doing science. I'm certainly not saying we should make policy on the basis of the views of a small minority of dissenters--but casting aspersions on their education and credentials, or whatever, because they dare to disagree is another matter entirely. There is far too much of that going on already--and it has no place in science (to say nothing of it being an ad hominem argument). Sean -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mark Schnitzius Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:12 PM To: europa@klx.com Subject: Re: I know a knowledge of science isn't a prerequisite for running a country... Sad. Could you imagine him saying something like *economics* isn't his strong point? For some reason it's okay to be bad at science. Maybe Bush could give him a quick primer the next time he visits. I understand he minored in astrophysics. The worst world leader in this regard, imho, is Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. He has the blood of thousands on his hands because of his crackpot beliefs about AIDS, with thousands or millions more to come. Don't even get me started. --Mark --- LARRY KLAES <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > .. but sigh: > > The prime minister, who admitted that science had > passed him by at school, was given a run-down of the > Huygens space probe by scientists at the Open > University in Milton Keynes. > > http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/sciences/story/0,12243,1415914,00.htm l<http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/sciences/story/0,12243,1415914,00.h tml> > > He said: "I missed out on science at school, I'm > afraid. It passed me by completely, but it's a > fantastic subject." > > He added: "It must have been fascinating to work on > it, though." > > The professor replied: "On good days." > > As the prime minister left, Prof Zarnecki presented > him with a copy of the last photograph taken by > Huygens of the surface of Titan. > > Mr Blair told him: "My little boy will love it." > > > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: europa@klx.com Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/ == You are subscribed to the Europa Icepick mailing list: europa@klx.com Project information and list (un)subscribe info: http://klx.com/europa/
