HONR228Q Notes section a:

  • Science, Politics, and Economics

    1. Role of science in our lives

      1. What science CANNOT do
        1. Religion
        2. Morality
        3. Values
        4. "Non-scientific" opinions and tastes
      2. What science CAN do
        1. Medicine
        2. Technology
        3. Guidance for decisions
        4. A language: Primer on SI units; Jim Frysinger, College of Charleston (South Carolina)
      3. Role of emotionalism/hysteria
        1. Lack of scientific understanding
        2. Unfounded fear
        3. Disproportionate response
      4. Examples of questionable/problematic science
        1. Silicon breast implants
        2. DDT ban and the current malaria epidemic; ref: Rachel Carlson, Silent Spring, 1962
        3. Alar in apples or other chemicals in food or water
        4. The Delaney clause, R. I. P. (1958-1996)
        5. Cranberry carcinogen scare
        6. Saccharin sugar substitute, bladder cancer, and animal tests
        7. Problems with mass inoculations (eg polio; smallpox after 9/11/01)
        8. "Curing" AIDS
        9. Low-frequency electromagnetic fields: Paul Brodeur and his opposition
        10. Asbestos, current lawsuits, "future" injury
        11. Overuse of antibiotics
        12. TV commercials for prescription medications
        13. Second-hand smoke (?)
        14. Radon gas (?)
        15. Global warming (?) see also 1816, The Year There Was No Summer
        16. Arsenic in water (?)
          1. Technical Fact Sheet: Proposed Rule for Arsenic in Drinking Water
          2. Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project
          3. Very high levels of arsenic in water supply funded by international agencies used as example
        17. Exposure to very low levels of radiation (??)
        18. Creationism vs. Intelligent Design vs. Evolution
        19. FDA and the "Morning After" pill
      5. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals
        1. Wikipedia entry for Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals
        2. New York Times Summary of Daubert

    2. How can we make decisions?

      1. Role of science and scientists
        1. Reference reading: On Being a Scientist
        2. Committee on the Conduct of Science,
        3. National Academy of Sciences, Second Printing, 1990
      2. Role of individual study and knowledge (including universities)
      3. Role of the free press
      4. Role of politics
        1. Case in point: Staff writer for 19 years at Physics Today fired
      5. Role of economics
        1. Economics in improving technology
        2. Economics in inhibiting progress
      6. Role of government agencies
        1. Environmental protection agency
        2. Department of Energy
        3. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
        4. United States Department of Transportation
        5. National Academy of Science
        6. National Science Foundation
        7. Intergovernmental and United Nations agencies
        8. The U.S. Congress
      7. Role of funding agencies in science
        1. Science or money - which is the cart or horse?
        2. Can science be compromised by money?
      8. Some reference materials for discussion
        1. Junkscience.com
          1. Junk science includes some topics in this course as well as others.
          2. Think about the questions that arise from the comments on this page.
        2. David Hafmeister: The Imprudence of "Prudent Avoidance"
          1. Is it better to act before scientific evidence is in?
          2. Damage to business and commerce
          3. Competition for mitigation money
          4. Mistrust in science
        3. Safeguarding the Future: Credible Science, Credible Decisions
          1. The Report of the Expert Panel on the Role of Science at EPA
          2. March 1992
        4. NOVA video "Do Scientists Cheat?" (UGL Non-Print Media Q172.5.F7D6 1988)
          1. Manipulating or making up data
          2. Selection of presentation details
          3. Dealing with data collection problems
          4. Unknown errors

    3. Modern scientific advances

      1. Science in general
        1. Medicine
        2. Understanding of human genes
        3. Gene splicing
        4. Genetically engineered food
        5. Cloning
        6. Modern materials engineering
        7. Technology
      2. Physics in particular
        1. World wide web
        2. Fiber optics
        3. Global positioning system
        4. Satellite communications
        5. Digital computers
        6. Modern circuit miniaturization
        7. Medical applications (ultrasound, nuclear medicine)
        8. Quantum computing
        9. Particles and quarks
        10. Nuclear astrophysics, black holes, etc.
        11. Nanoparticles
      3. Scientific topics generally avoided
        1. Holocaust denial
        2. Creation science
        3. Race-related topics (eg group intelligence quotient)
        4. Aids vs. cancer research

    Forward to "Statistics and Scientific Decisions"

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    For comments or constructive criticism of this document
    please e-mail Dr. Richard Berg, reberg@physics.umd.edu,
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