Science
^and-enttnre
Culture and Science in Public Policy
une culture s progress is anotner
culture s downfall
That was the theme of Culture,
Science and Public Policy, an anthro
pological look at the ethnocentrism
inherent in improving the quality of life
"in the public interest '
Carol Silverman, visiting professor of
anthropology, began the presentation
by defining progress in under
developed countries as the importation
of selected objects, chosen by the elite
of an advanced country in hope of
"bringing them what we have
But both Silverman and Geraldine
Moreno-Black, assistant professor of
anthropology, saw an immoral element
in the definition, and therefore in the
practice The cultural context into
which these objects will be introduced,
they say, is frequently ignored
Policy makers must be made aware
of the impact of their programs, they
said This can be facilitated through
meeting witn ana gaming reactions
from the recipients of their policy
Moreno-Black used nutritional plan
ning on national and international
levels to illustrate the point The history
of U S nutrition policies, including the
Pure Food and Drug Act. the Recom
mended Daily Allowance and Eating in
America (the 1976 pamphlet that sug
gested that Americans eat more fiber
and less sugars and fats) shows
repeated inability to bring real change
to American diets, she says
International nutrition planning, as
perpetrated by the United States and its
industries, provided the second group
of policies failing because of eth
nocentrism Imported corn that can't be
milled, milk that most adults can t
digest and milk formulas where no po
table water is available have all been
given to underdeveloped nations in the
name of progress, they said
By Diane Winocur
1
The Day after Trinity
Two scientists who worked on producing the
first atomic bomb, University Pres Paul Olum and
biology department head Aaron Novick, presided
over a discussion on that bomb and its con
sequences Monday as part of the University
Convocation
Olum and Novick responded to questions —
mostly on the future of nuclear disarmament — to
a near-capacity audience in 150 Geology
The discussion followed "The Day After
Trinity," a movie discussing the process and
consequences of the building of the first atomic
bomb. The film focused on the project leader, the
late J Robert Oppenheimer
The audience listened to the filmed inter
views of scientists involved with the first bomb
with solemn intensity Gallows humor marked
comments such as Oppenheimer's brother men
tioning that physicist Enrico Fermi was taking
bets on whether, providing the bomb worked, the
whole state of New Mexico would blow up at
Trinity — the name given to the first test explosion
Olum started the discussion by explaining
that he did not want to lecture on his part on the
project Neither Olum nor Novick apologized for
their work on the bomb
Olum disagreed with the statement that
building the bomb was a “Faustian bargain with
the devil," stating that at the beginning of the
work there was evidence that the Nazis were
working on a bomb
"There seemed to be no choice Nor do I
agree it was the arrogance of technical know
ledge," Olum said
Olum mentioned that Oppenheimer stopped
Olum and others from meeting to discuss the
implications of the project.
The two administrators took a stand against
nuclear weaponry Novick received applause for
his support of the Campaign for Nuclear Freeze
and ballot measures advocating halting the
Photo by Bob Baker
_| Mark Setterholm. a senior, found he was one of the hundreds of people (some of
whom did find seats) attending seminars after Monday's convocation
Evolution and Religious Truth
- Religion can be explained from a
materialist perspective, and that per
spective can be used to have some fun,
according to a seminar presentation by
David Wagner, a University biology
" professor I
Darwin's theories lead to a mater
- lalistic outlook in which all that is real is
solid, Wagner says Everything can be
- explained with this outlook, he adds i
This theory, which provides a basis I
_ for scientific thought, is opposed by '
vitalism, which holds that a force dis
tinct from physical and chemical
forces exists in living organisms
As science has progressed, vitalism j
has become a decreasingly useful |
theory, Wagner says i
_ However, this theory is still encoun
tered in three areas of biology: in i
questions of consciousness, the origin i
of life and the border between the :
living and the non-living
Religion keeps one from commit
ing suicide the minute you find out
ivho you are ”
Even though this concept is unreal
jnd immaterial, it should be enjoyed,
ie says
For example, Wagner says he has felt
religious experiences” similiar to
toga when considering a variety of
iverworts (a moss-like plant), and
ocusing on “an appreciation of what is
>ital in them.”
He then senses they are holy, and
vhere they are from is holy
Even though he knows the exper
ence is only a physical/chemical
>rocess, Wagner said he does not
ealize this during the experience
This religious consciousness’ per
nits one to no longer feel like the most
mportant thing in the universe, but to
sense the tradition of culture.
By David Stelnmetz
Photo by Mark Pynes
University Pres. Paul Olum and Aaron Novick, head of the biology department, spoke about their
participation in the building of the first atomic bomb.
proauction ana testing of nuclear weapons
Olum, cautiously adding that he was speak
ing as an individual, told the audience he sup
ported nuclear freeze, arms reduction, unilateral
nuclear freezes and legislation prohibiting a
“first-strike.”
Novick said that the build-up of nuclear
weapons has ironically decreased the chance
that the weapons would ever be used. Less than
10 percent of the population is expected to
survive a worldwide nuclear war, he estimated
Olum and Novick met with little antagonism in
their discussion. At one point, Olum asked those
with opposing views to feel free to speak up
Nobody did.
Olum seemed surprised when someone
asked why young people dominate the anti-nu
clear movements. They have "longer futures to
protect,” he answered.
By Joan Nyland