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A distant light: scientists and public policy

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Like many scientists, I have always had interests far different from those of my professional
life. Among them has been the challenges of dealing with the array of
problems humanity faces, including how to exploit the earth's bounty without damaging
it and how to deal with the conflicts between nations, for which extraordinarily
destructive weapons stand at the ready. At issue are not just the unwanted
side effects of a few technologies but the cumulative impact of a host of technologies
and human activities that appear to threaten humanity and the global environment
in a deep way.

For many years such matters-what I call survival issues-have claimed much
of my time and attention, providing extensive experience in a variety of public controversies
, most involving substantial scientific or technical matters. This volunteer
work in the quasipolitical world of public policy debate has proved vastly different
from my professional work as an experimental particle physicist. It was my good
fortune to find a second home base-the Union of Concerned Scientists-whose
course I helped guide and from which I could research issues, publish my findings,
and involve myself and others in the effort to shape public policy.

In 1992 the American Institute of Physics' publishing division approached me
with an invitation to prepare a volume for its series Masters of Physics. A typical
volume in this series is based mainly on the author's principal scientific publications.
In the course of preparing some material for the World Bank on public policy
problems, a different approach seemed appropriate in my case: to devote the
proposed volume primarily to material dealing with science and public policy problems.
The book could serve as a stimulus and a resource for others in the scientific
community who might also wish to turn their attention to such concerns. The scientific
community has many fine minds that can advance understanding of public
problems and nudge society toward sensible policies. The key is getting enough scientists
involved in sustained and constructive ways.

This focus would require a very different mix of material than would a collection
of physics reprints. It would also include written matter that customarily does
not appear on publication lists, such as news releases, public statements, and declarations,
for example, that can be of great importance to those engaged in debates
over public policy; they frequently require very careful writing. Based on this approach,
the form and selection of material for the volume took its present form: a
volume intended to communicate the nature of the controversies that swirl about
some of humanity's great problems. My challenge was to illuminate the behavior
both of allies and opponents, to set out the lessons that I, with numerous colleagues,
have learned, and, in some small way, to make a contribution that could provide
useful guidance for other scientists.

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Ketersediaan

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Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Masters of modem physics

No. Panggil

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Penerbit

New York : Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.., 2000

Deskripsi Fisik

Q127.U6K46 - 99-20533 338.97306--dc21

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

0-387-98833-5

Klasifikasi

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Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

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Subjek

LINGKUNGAN HIDUP
KEBIJAKAN PUBLIK
TEKNIK NUKLIR

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

agus

Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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