Archive for September 27th, 2007
Science and Values
Thursday, September 27th, 2007“There is an essential problem with the thesis… [values] have no place in an academic article.” - anonymous reviewer
Oh for the days when intellectuals were (dare we speak the word) advocates allowed to possess values and put forth arguments for action. Francis Bacon, Georges Hebert, Che Guevara, Salmon Rushdie, Rigoberta Menchu, these were people writing on science (natural, political or otherwise) AND values, ::gasp:: in the same breath. OK so lots of people like them were excommunicated, exiled, maimed, killed, but hey those were different times. These days what’s going to happen -the president at best puts you under a federal gag order, and at worst threatens naming you as an enemy combatant destined for Guantanamo Bay.? Ok maybe times aren’t that different. But I digress. (more…)
