In the context of the claimed discovery that a mutant and highly
dangerous strain of avian flu reportedly "fatal in 60 per cent of human
cases" has been developed by a relatively simple method in a
Netherlands science laboratory, Mike Palij asks:
>How should scientists react to having the U.S. government
>or any government censor ("redact") published scientific reports?
In the interests of free speech, I might similarly ask how should
democrats react to any curtailing of the freedom of an individual to
shout "fire" in a crowded theatre.
It is, of course, not only US health authorities who are concerned:
"EU Commissioner John Dalli told journalists he had received assurances
from Dutch authorities that the virus was secure… 'One of the issues
... is to ensure that any information coming from this research is well
controlled and without sensitive details about mutation being given,'
he said.
http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20111213-316022.html
Allen Esterson
Former lecturer, Science Department
Southwark College, London
[email protected]
http://www.esterson.org
-------------------------------------------------
From: Michael Palij <[email protected]>
Subject: What If The Government Were To Censor Scientific Research
Reports?
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:27:06 -0500
How should scientists react to having the U.S. government
or any government censor ("redact") published scientific
reports? Well, start thinking about it because there are
two papers that were submitted to the journal Science that
the U.S. government wants censored, that is, details removed
which would prevent others from duplicating the work; for
one media account, see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/20/us-birdflu-usa-censorship-idUSTRE7BJ1O720111220
Now, I can appreciate the government's concerns in the
case of manufacturing bird flu and making sure that only
the "right" scientists have access to the details for
reproducing the virus but one has to wonder if politicians
might want to apply similar tactics to social/behavioral/psychological
research and not just to methodological details but including
certain results and conclusions that may clash with certain
beliefs.
-Mike Palij
New York University
[email protected]
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