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Re: population growth & physics ed



At 01:38 PM 7/18/96 -0600, Gary wrote:
George,
When Carl Sagan and Edward Teller agree on something, it makes it hard >to
argue wiht it. They differ only in the amount of cooling not that it would
occur. Meteorological models like any in the observationsal sciences
contain >many assumptions, something experimental scientist often lose
patience with.
as much of this discussion illustrates. The relative magnitude of various
effects is often hard to estimate.

I think that was my point - their results were certainly reasonable within
the limits of the initial model. What ticked people off was the avenue of
PR grandstanding rather than preliminary peer review.

I have no quarrel with Sagan's legitimate contributions, just with the
media-star avenue of publication he sometimes selects. Perhaps if I had
some fame and fortune I'd be more forgiving! :)
George Spagna **********************************************
Department of Physics * *
Randolph-Macon College * "An insanity as enormous, as complex *
P.O. Box 5005 * as the one around me had to be planned. *
Ashland, VA 23005-5505 * I've found the plan!" *
* *
phone: (804) 752-7344 * -- Robert Heinlein, "They" (1948) *
FAX: (804) 752-4724 * *
e-mail: gspagna@rmc.edu **********************************************
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