Comments on: DNA database: Acid test http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/2009-11/dna-database-acid-test/ The latest on Identity Cards and Databases in the UK Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:57:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tom Welsh http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/2009-11/dna-database-acid-test/comment-page-1/#comment-143550 Tom Welsh Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:37 +0000 http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/?p=1597#comment-143550 As the late Richard Feynman remarked, "Science is what we have learned about how to keep from fooling ourselves". Since politics is the art of successfully fooling ourselves and others, it is difficult to reconcile its demands with those of (honest) science. As the late Richard Feynman remarked, “Science is what we have learned about how to keep from fooling ourselves”.

Since politics is the art of successfully fooling ourselves and others, it is difficult to reconcile its demands with those of (honest) science.

]]> By: Tom Welsh http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/2009-11/dna-database-acid-test/comment-page-1/#comment-143549 Tom Welsh Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:57:01 +0000 http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/?p=1597#comment-143549 Ministers are in an illogical and untenable position when they decide they need expert advice on science, choose expert advisers from among the "best" scientists they can find - and then insist that those advisers, chosen specifically for their independent expertise, toe the political party line. If they were trying to demonstrate their own incompetence and intellectual bankruptcy, they could hardly do a more thorough job. Ministers are in an illogical and untenable position when they decide they need expert advice on science, choose expert advisers from among the “best” scientists they can find – and then insist that those advisers, chosen specifically for their independent expertise, toe the political party line.

If they were trying to demonstrate their own incompetence and intellectual bankruptcy, they could hardly do a more thorough job.

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