At last.... science is cool again

[scheming daemons]

Thank you, President Obama, for recognizing the value of science.

The Ebryonic Stem Cell Research legislation is not just about that specific issue.... even though that is very important.


It is a strong signal that, for the first time in a great while, science is higher in the pecking order of national priorities than superstition and mysticism.


To those who place their mythology above unleashing the potential of science to solve our problems, to the back of the bus with you.

[HereSince1628]

1. This is far more about what is politically cool than thatscience is cool.

This is about how money can be spent in pursuit of medical, not scientific, objectives.

There is an unfortunate conflation of medicine with biology, and medicine with science in general such that an impediment to medical research becomes seen as a huge impediment to biology and science in general. How much do you think that icthyologists or vulcanologists are concerned that the lack of stem cells interferes with their work?

I am pretty sure that the progress of science in general, and biology in particular, is not extremely tightly shackled to the need of embryonic stem cells.

[babylonsister]

2. Officials: Presidential Memo to Insulate Science From Politics

Officials: Presidential Memo to Insulate Science From Politics

By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 8, 2009; 7:04 PM


When President Obama lifts restrictions on funding for human embryonic stem cell research Monday, he will also issue a presidential memorandum aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence, officials said today.

"The president believes that it's particularly important to sign this memorandum so that we can put science and technology back at the heart of pursuing a broad range of national goals," said Melody Barnes, director of Obama's Domestic Policy Council.

While officials would not go into details, the memorandum will order the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to "assure a number of effective standards and practices that will help our society feel that we have the highest-quality individuals carrying out scientific jobs and that information is shared with the public," said Harold Varmus, who co-chairs Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

The decision by President George W. Bush to restrict funding for stem cell research was seen by critics as part of a pattern of allowing political ideology to influence scientific decisions, affecting issues including whether to approve the morning-after pill Plan B for over-the-counter sales and climate change.

"We view what happened with stem cell research in the last administration as one manifestation of the failure to think carefully about how federal support of science and the use of scientific advice occurs," Varmus said. "This is consistent with {Obama's} determination to use sound scientific practice, responsible practice of science and evidence, instead of dogma in developing federal policy."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/08/AR2009030801476.html?hpid=topnews

[HereSince1628]

3. Yes, thanks. That more than less confirms my point ,doesn't it?

Medicine, a human focused are of applied biology has become conflated with science as a whole.

I fully appreciate the capacity of the prevalent human fears of death and disease to focus energy on this area. But the "coolness" of science as a whole, is far broader that the narrow slice of biology that medicine intersects. The "coolness" of science depends very very little upon the availability of embryos for research.

[masuki bance]

4. I'm not sure how you can say that

- At the same time that he sign this in to law he said this-

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says human cloning is "dangerous, profoundly wrong" and has no place in society.

Obama made the comments as he was signing an executive order that will allow federal spending on embryonic stem cell research.

Some critics say the research can lead to human cloning. Obama said the government will develop strict guidelines for the research because misuse or abuse is unacceptable.

He said he would ensure that the government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction.

"To those who place their mythology above unleashing the potential of science to solve our problems, to the back of the bus with you."

[anonymous171]

5. Human Cloning is awesome. I can't see how it could be abused in any way.

[Cha]

6. Right.

Not.