phl@drusd.UUCP (LavettePH) (11/05/84)
> Of all the things that disgust me about the nuclear arms "debate" I > think this unwillingness to concede expertise is the most sickening. But to which group of "experts" do we listen? For every Teller there is a Sagan and for every Rand Corp there is a Swedish Academy of Science. > ................................. I spend more time every day thinking > about these issues than just about any of you have in your lifetime... > I've read more, written more, discussed more, and yes, am better > qualified to say what's right or at least what's a good guess.......... > To paraphrase Richard Pipes, people who wouldn't dream of giving a > cordon bleu chef advice on making a Hollandaise seem to think nothing > of instructing professionals in the complex and arcane area of > strategic policy and arms control. ............................. Perhaps you take your responsibilities more seriously than some of your peers. In his book, "Day of Trinity", Oppenheimer related the the incident immediately before detonating the first atomic bomb when some of his team made bets as to whether or not the bomb would ignite the world's atmosphere and destroy life on the earth. Luckily, the winners were around to collect. I guess the guy was right when he observed that no matter how much things change, they remain the same. Now we are betting on the possibility of a nuclear winter. > ................................................... Sheesh, from > reading this net you'd think that the only "thinking" people in the > world are computer science undergrads! Sorry, das. I'm a hardware type. Penn State '61. > I've frankly had it with being talked down to by people who, from all > indications, aren't qualified to even whisper about the topics upon > which they pontificate with such certainty and moral superiority. I'm > tired of being told my hard-earned skills and knowledge are worthless > because the issues involved are "too important" to be decided upon by a > "nuclear priesthood." ....................................... If there is a "priesthood" they created their poor public image themselves. You have only to go back to the sordid experience we had with the early atomic and chemical warfare tests in Nevada and Utah and the litany of half-truths and outright lies we got from the government to realize that the low opinion which many people have of those in your profession is a direct result of their appar- ent lack of candor with the citizens of this country. Neither you, with all your intellectual arrogance, nor I, with my lack of your required credentials, will make this decision. The whole country will make the decision tomorrow and, if we're still around, amend that decision two years from now. A recent study of higher education in this country yielded results that tended to suggest that science and engineering graduates should be more exposed to a liberal education - not politically liberal, the arts and humanities. I tend to agree with them. A little time spent with "Frankenstein", "Failsafe" and Dr. Faustus would benefit anyone going into these lines of work. - Phil Lavette