In writing this article, I gave thought to whether ignorance or malice best described the impetus for the administration's LIGO decision, or science policies more generally. I think there's significant malice overall, as reflected in Russell Vought's stated aspiration to put bureaucrats "in trauma." With regard to LIGO, though, probably ignorance is the key factor. The decision to fund just one of the detectors seems likely to have been made by people who didn't understand its implications and didn't care to learn them. Malice might've been better served by canceling both detectors.
Incidentally, over 30 years ago I reviewed The Hubble Wars ( https://www.commentary.org/articles/kenneth-silber/the-hubble-wars-by-eric-j-chaisson/ ), an excellent book by astronomer Eric Chaisson about politics surrounding the Hubble Space Telescope. At one point in the book ( https://archive.org/details/hubblewarsastrop00chai/page/350/mode/2up?q=knocking ), he writes that scientists need to engage in more public outreach, lest "one of these days, perhaps soon, the public will begin knocking on the front doors of science departments, informing those of us within that it neither understands what we are doing nor intends to support our work any longer." The LIGO decision struck me as epitomizing the knock Chaisson had predicted.
Fair enough, but I'd distinguish the reasons the public supports a policy from the reasons the administration pursues it, more than I did in past administrations. I assumed then that democratic accountability played a role, an assumption I no longer make.
Similarly, I don't rule out that malicious people happened to hire ignorant people to carry out their plans (actually, this happened by operation of the way they function, not by chance, but regardless). So seeing a program carried out in an ignorant way doesn't tell me it's not malicious.
I just think other things the administration has done have adequately demonstrated that they are purposefully anti-American and seeking the long-term harm of this country, so I interpret what I see here in that light.
I work in an industry where fringe ideas become billion-dollar tech. I fiercely defend basic science as the seedbed of tomorrow’s breakthroughs. But be honest: America’s debt trajectory is a slow-motion collapse. Greece hit austerity at 126% debt-to-GDP. We’re past 130%. If we don’t get serious, austerity will be imposed; it won’t be a choice. At that point, Silber’s defense of gravitational-wave research, while spot-on, becomes a moot point. Science survives ONLY if we confront fiscal reality and make the case for strategic investment before the axe falls. That means the academy needs to self-sort. I see the comments mocking IQ. The disdain is obvious, maybe earned. But for nine years, calling people dumb while they whip your ass has been pretty damn unproductive. You catch more bees with nectar than vinegar.
Well I agree with your second point. Liberal disdain for the stupid is tied into liberal disbelief that people actually believe in illiberalism, and it's killing us. But on the first, the way to prevent things from getting worse requires continued investment. Divestment, given the form of our current economy, is a guarantee that our debt to gdp will continue to grow.
This is way above the IQ of this president and the scientists that would have been involved in this have all been purged. This administration doesn’t concern themselves with anything they don’t see as a way to make money and take control.
Destroying the US as a country and a society is a feature, not a bug. The technofascists, christofascists,* and other "lien-holders" are dismantling public health, basic science, medical research, the rule of law, etc etc so that the folks who bought themselves a fascist regime can loot what's left.
Easier to control a population that's sick, starving, impoverished, desperate, and terrorized.
* Note for surveillance state - it is not "anti-Christian bias" to observe that "christian" nationalists and christofascists are ignoring the core teachings of Christ, including the (2nd) greatest commandment, love thy neighbor as thyself. As well as judge not lest ye be judged, turn the other cheek, welcome the stranger, and a big concern for the kakistocrats, give your money to the poor.
This is not a matter of the Trump administration. The problem has been well known to Asimov and Clarke 50 years ago. There is this absurd attitude of "just because you have studied physics for 30 years, you are not better than me! My opinion on anything is as well justified as yours!" It's a very American attitude. This is not meant to belittle your important reminder of a problem. The problem does not go away. The question whether the Geneva super-collider should be expanded without some ideas justifiyng the enormous costs, is running hot. But there is no replacement for surprising facts. Maxwell and Einstein did not need much money. Some bright ideas sufficed. But they had to be confirmed. The best thing to happen is always a failed expectation.
Good article, but why do we continue to use words like "foolish" when it is beyond clear that the administration, this time around, knows exactly what it's doing?
"Wars on Science, Real and Otherwise." Aptly describes one of the books I mentioned as a dispatch from an imaginary front. https://www.liberalcurrents.com/wars-on-science-real-and-otherwise/
In writing this article, I gave thought to whether ignorance or malice best described the impetus for the administration's LIGO decision, or science policies more generally. I think there's significant malice overall, as reflected in Russell Vought's stated aspiration to put bureaucrats "in trauma." With regard to LIGO, though, probably ignorance is the key factor. The decision to fund just one of the detectors seems likely to have been made by people who didn't understand its implications and didn't care to learn them. Malice might've been better served by canceling both detectors.
Incidentally, over 30 years ago I reviewed The Hubble Wars ( https://www.commentary.org/articles/kenneth-silber/the-hubble-wars-by-eric-j-chaisson/ ), an excellent book by astronomer Eric Chaisson about politics surrounding the Hubble Space Telescope. At one point in the book ( https://archive.org/details/hubblewarsastrop00chai/page/350/mode/2up?q=knocking ), he writes that scientists need to engage in more public outreach, lest "one of these days, perhaps soon, the public will begin knocking on the front doors of science departments, informing those of us within that it neither understands what we are doing nor intends to support our work any longer." The LIGO decision struck me as epitomizing the knock Chaisson had predicted.
Fair enough, but I'd distinguish the reasons the public supports a policy from the reasons the administration pursues it, more than I did in past administrations. I assumed then that democratic accountability played a role, an assumption I no longer make.
Similarly, I don't rule out that malicious people happened to hire ignorant people to carry out their plans (actually, this happened by operation of the way they function, not by chance, but regardless). So seeing a program carried out in an ignorant way doesn't tell me it's not malicious.
I just think other things the administration has done have adequately demonstrated that they are purposefully anti-American and seeking the long-term harm of this country, so I interpret what I see here in that light.
I work in an industry where fringe ideas become billion-dollar tech. I fiercely defend basic science as the seedbed of tomorrow’s breakthroughs. But be honest: America’s debt trajectory is a slow-motion collapse. Greece hit austerity at 126% debt-to-GDP. We’re past 130%. If we don’t get serious, austerity will be imposed; it won’t be a choice. At that point, Silber’s defense of gravitational-wave research, while spot-on, becomes a moot point. Science survives ONLY if we confront fiscal reality and make the case for strategic investment before the axe falls. That means the academy needs to self-sort. I see the comments mocking IQ. The disdain is obvious, maybe earned. But for nine years, calling people dumb while they whip your ass has been pretty damn unproductive. You catch more bees with nectar than vinegar.
Well I agree with your second point. Liberal disdain for the stupid is tied into liberal disbelief that people actually believe in illiberalism, and it's killing us. But on the first, the way to prevent things from getting worse requires continued investment. Divestment, given the form of our current economy, is a guarantee that our debt to gdp will continue to grow.
This is way above the IQ of this president and the scientists that would have been involved in this have all been purged. This administration doesn’t concern themselves with anything they don’t see as a way to make money and take control.
Destroying the US as a country and a society is a feature, not a bug. The technofascists, christofascists,* and other "lien-holders" are dismantling public health, basic science, medical research, the rule of law, etc etc so that the folks who bought themselves a fascist regime can loot what's left.
Easier to control a population that's sick, starving, impoverished, desperate, and terrorized.
* Note for surveillance state - it is not "anti-Christian bias" to observe that "christian" nationalists and christofascists are ignoring the core teachings of Christ, including the (2nd) greatest commandment, love thy neighbor as thyself. As well as judge not lest ye be judged, turn the other cheek, welcome the stranger, and a big concern for the kakistocrats, give your money to the poor.
This is not a matter of the Trump administration. The problem has been well known to Asimov and Clarke 50 years ago. There is this absurd attitude of "just because you have studied physics for 30 years, you are not better than me! My opinion on anything is as well justified as yours!" It's a very American attitude. This is not meant to belittle your important reminder of a problem. The problem does not go away. The question whether the Geneva super-collider should be expanded without some ideas justifiyng the enormous costs, is running hot. But there is no replacement for surprising facts. Maxwell and Einstein did not need much money. Some bright ideas sufficed. But they had to be confirmed. The best thing to happen is always a failed expectation.
Good article, but why do we continue to use words like "foolish" when it is beyond clear that the administration, this time around, knows exactly what it's doing?