gjphw@ihuxm.UUCP (10/03/83)
If I might wade in on two topics near to my heart:
1. This first is in support of an item from M. Majka (ubc-visi!majka). Among
other interesting topics, Francis Bacon wrote an essay discussing the way
science is done by people. The ideal method would be to make preliminary
observations, formulate a hypothesis, conduct controlled experiments in an
effort to find contradictory evidence, and publish your results. Behold the
traditional scientific method! Unfortunately, he decided that what usually
happens is that an individual forms a theory based upon his/her prejudices,
conducts experiments to support the theory, then claims to have found truth.
Personal values are a significant factor in science, and the best way to
handle this is to become aware of the unconscious processes that are
involved.
2. The second item is in criticism of a comment made by D. Anthony (unc-c!dya)
concerning the development of nuclear technology from value-free scientific
judgments. For a few years, I was associated with Brookhaven National Lab
on Long Island (in a non-technical capacity, though I was a graduate student
in physics at the time). BNL has operated nuclear research reactors for
several decades for neutron physics studies. The opinion among the few
neutron scientists that I had the opportunity to encounter was that nuclear
power was a good idea until it was taken over by industry. In the
beginning, nuclear scientists and engineers were in the process of trying to
discover optimum techniques for generating electrical energy from nuclear
fission and gave some thought to the waste problem. When it became almost
practical, business picked up the further development of nuclear power
plants. Since it is the primary goal of business to offer a product at the
lowest cost, the rather high-priced development of reactors was cut in favor
of lower cost designs. The "lowest bid" philosophy of some large companies
brought out nuclear power generation before its time. Since then, the
production of power by nuclear reactors has been very political and value-
laden.
Live long and prosper!
--
Patrick Wyant
AT&T Bell Laboratories (Naperville, IL)
*!ihuxm!gjphwstekas@houxy.UUCP (10/03/83)
Pat Wyant really comes to the heart of the matter when he brings up industry. The real question is not whether nuclear waste can be disposed of safely, but whether our nuclear industry can be entrusted to dispose of it safely. Taking our chances with nuclear wastes seems advisible to spewing carcinogenes from our fossil plants for the next 50 years, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking it's safe. Let's start planning what we are going to do when XYZ Inc. disposes of a ton of nuclear waste in the same manner as PCB's - in a vacant lot just off the N.J. Turnpike. Jim Stekas BTL Holmdel,N.J.
Shinbrot.WBST@PARC-MAXC.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP (10/05/83)
Jim, Let's be controversial here. President Reagan decreed a few months ago that defunct nuclear submarines should be disposed of at sea WITH REACTOR'S INTACT. Industry is indeed lax with wastes, but look at the example being set by government! - Troy