Hello folks,

I am sure you all are aware of the issue in the American Anthropological
Association about research misconduct by anthropologists researching in
South America.  The Association has completed a Preliminary Report - see
site below.

It seems to me that their issue and their investigation have some remote
implications for the discussion procedure on this list concerning
environmental ethics.   We might consider particularly the propensity for
presenting only one side of actions, of the issue of the validity of claims,
of research by environmental groups.

I do not think that claims by rival groups result from evil intent; though
there are a few individuals in science *as everywhere else* who promote
fraud, etc.  But those are the exceptions that prove the rule of the general
integrity of professionals as well as the general public.  IMHO

Science is *not* value free.  And I am glad it is not.  The value bias of
individuals in science or any walk of life offers society an opportunity to
look at issues in different ways and from different view-points.  The way
that value bias can approach some reconciliation is through consideration of
the several points of view and consequent discussion of them.  Consideration
should include, not limited to, the exposure of the biases and consideration
of the several views in terms of our own particular value biases.

It seems to me that we have a problem here of issues being presented as
one-dimensional, one-sidedly anti-environmentalists.

Fortunately, recently for example, Patrick and Steven B. have been able to
direct us to sites with points of view not presented by the original
contributor.  I hope we are fortunate enough to have members who have the
time, expertise, to do us that same favour.

For the Anthropology issue see below.

Ray
------------------------
The following report is now available as an HTML document

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF
THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
EL DORADO TASK FORCE
Submitted November 19, 2001

The American Anthropological Association El Dorado Task Force is charged by
the
Executive Board of the AAA to inquire into the allegations about
anthropologists and others made by Patrick Tierney in his book Darkness in
El
Dorado (2000). The present report, for discussion at the Business Meeting
November 30, 2001, is preliminary. The reasons for this are that, first, our
work is guided by the basic principle that anthropological engagement must
be
conducted in dialogue and collaboration with the people thus engaged, and
that
such people should be regarded as fully autonomous participants in the
development of research in their communities.

Full text
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evolutionary-psychology/files/aaa.html