Bob, Dave, ENTS, I am all for presenting an unemotional, detached, logical presentation when publishing a scientific paper. The results need to stand for themselves without an emotional imperative to accept them. I however fail to see why in general discussions about matters of policy and matters of importance to us as individuals, even as we are scientists, that we need to maintain a dispassionate tone in our posts. Opinions are swayed not purely by logic, but by emotional elements as well. People playing emotional cards in a discourse will almost always prevail in a public discussion of policy issues if the scientific community restricts itself to just the facts. How many horrible things in the world have happened because the scientific community stood aloof and dispassionate and was unable to persuade others of the right course of action because of the vanity of restricting themselves to dispassionate argument? Lack of passion in the defense of our ideals is not a virtue. As a scientist, and that is how I think of myself, my choices in scientific issues are driven by logic and information. When it comes to matters of less clear cut boundaries, when it comes to issues driven by public opinion, when it deals with issues with an emotional impact, when it deals with questions of aesthetics and ideals, logic can not be my only criteria. As a complete human being, we need to accept and embrace not only logic, but the emotional and spiritual sides of our being as well.
Ed "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science." - Albert Einstein --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
