more and more of this tennis match seems to depend on
"public understanding of science". I wonder if the players
could give us their own definitions of that term, in order
that we might put their comments into some wider context?
On Fri, 16 Nov 2001 11:03:20 +0000 Clyde Francks
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >
> > > Am I really having to argue the case for more well researched
> > > journalism on an email list dedicated to the public
> > > understanding of science?
> > >
> > -----End Quoted (and cut) Message-----
> >
> > Where did I say anything about science journalism not being well
> > researched? It is usually better researched many than other forms of
> > journalism. It is just that you do not like the result and would rather
> > it ignored the bits that get stuck on the soles of your shoes.
> >
> > Do not draw massive generalisations from messages that address only some
> > aspects of a phenomenon. This started when someone raised a piece of
> > strange pseudo medicine. Had it begun with something on the more
> > didactic bits of science in the media, then you would have heard a
> > different message from me.
> >
> > Just as science comes in all shapes and sizes, so does science
> > journalism. When I ruled over an empire that delivered the world's
> > premier weekly fix of science, we maintained a deliberate balancing act
> > of "straight" science and more provocative stuff. Fortunately, there
> > were readers out there, maybe still are, who can handle both without
> > becoming hopelessly confused.
> >
> > MK
>
> Apologies. I was responding to your candid email describing your
> profession, which involved not giving a hoot about scientific credibility.
>
> My point is straightforward. Since scientists have their own agenda, its
> wise for anyone interested in promoting public understanding not to quote
> unsubstantiated ideas or results without making that qualification.
> Thats what leads to magnetic whatever it was, and nightly on the TV
> those awful documentaries showing "radical" new individual theories by
> self-promoting scientists, historians etc. If space doesn't permit to
> cover the complexities properly, then best not to do it at all. Those
> programs must spread enormous amounts of confusion and leave people with
> simply the wrong information, with no proper understanding of the way the
> world works.
>
> No matter how well you research and portray the opinion of an individual
> scientist, that does not constitute a proper report worthy of publicising.
> I understand that the media does not operate with public understanding
> uppermost in mind. What's uppermost is getting work and
> profit. However, this is a list dedicated to finding ways to promote the
> public understanding of science. Can we not agree some guiding principles
> for doing that, that take into account the realities of science and press?
> Clyde
>
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