Re: population growth & physics ed

[PPARKER@TWSUVM.UC.TWSU.EDU]

> Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 16:32:10 -0500
> From: "Rick & Bea Tarara" <rbtarara@sprynet.com>
>
> A point about all of this that James Burke makes in his film 'After
> the Warming' [which is a very good film to have students view and
> evaluate] IS that virtually everyone agrees that continued increases
> in the levels of greenhouse gasses will eventually effect the climate.
> We can argue about by how much and how soon, but his point (well
> taken IMO) is that why take the risk?

One must be very careful with this argument, or one risks becoming
another Jeremy Rifkin. Here is my letter Am. Sci. published about
him.


> From American Scientist, November-December 1988, pp.547-8, responding to
an item "Genetically Engineered Microbes: The Nation Is Not Ready" in the
July-August issue reporting that Jeremy Rifkin was calling for a complete
ban on recombinant DNA research until it could be proved safe:

"After reading [the item], it seems appropriate to point out that Jeremy
Rifkin is himself the product of an unregulated recombinant DNA procedure
(sexual reproduction) which is certified as _not_ risk-free. Moreover,
none of the required documents listed in the article were filed before
Rifkin was released into the environment for field testing. If we were to
accept Rifkin's own arguments, we would be forced to demand a product
recall. In fact, until it could be certified as risk-free, we would have
to require a moratorium on all sexual reproduction. Whether this should
be extended to asexual reproduction as well is not completely clear. As
Rifkins argue, however, if we do err it should be on the side of prudence
and caution."

I listed it in my annual report of faculty activities as "creative
writing."

*************************
Phil Parker                          Internet: pparker@twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu
Math. Dept., Wichita St. Univ.         Bitnet: pparker@twsuvm
I find [in mathematics] a wonderful beauty. This is no science, this is
art, where equations fall away to elements like resolving chords, and
where always prevails a symmetry either explicit or multiplex, but always
of a crystalline serenity.---Turjan of Miir (Jack Vance)