Was+ist+Wissenchaft?+Part+Deux.

=A Response to "Was ist Wissenchaft?" = = The same question still stands: What is this science? I still believe that is “is” what I stated in my first draft of WITS. However, I have read and heard some things that add to what I wrote earlier. Throughout my entire first draft, the word “government” was never mentioned. Now that I have seen more media regarding the government and science, I believe that it has a great deal to do with science. There have been a few specific things that have changed the way I think about the government. The first is the book that I read for review, "American Ground Zero: The Secret Nuclear War" by Carole Gallagher. Next is a documentary series that points out government conspiracies and secrets, “Zeitgeist: Addendum” and “Zeitgeist: The Movie”. These two resources have changed the way I think about the government in general. = = From what I have learned by reading Gallagher’s book, I believe that //that// science was one that was controlled by the government to cover up the truth about radiation and its effects. The reason why I say “//that”// instead of “//this”// is because of the period of time she wrote about. While speaking about the Zeitgeist documentaries, “//this”// can be used because they focus on current issues. The Zeitgeist answer to WITS would be, //this// science is not trustworthy or believable because the government controls the means of education and funding for research, therefore controlling the research. If results are found that do not support what they want to tell the public, then those will be put in classified files and never seen again. = = Still, these are just opinions on aspects of science, no matter how many books I read or movies I watch, I won’t have a revelation and find the ultimate meaning of science. The only thing I can gain is a deeper understanding. Yet even this is contradictory. Understanding refers to knowledge, and knowledge points to a method of acquiring the facts. Still, what is a fact? It must be something verified by performing an experiment following the scientific method. This brings us back to the main question, “What is science?” = = I thought that it would be a nice idea to include the response to WITS of someone who should know what science is. After all, she has a Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and is an active member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The email I sent to this prestigious scientist reads: =

Dr. Jackson, I am currently taking IHSS-1978, Cultures of Scientific Revolutions, and would appreciate your input on a topic that I am writing a response to. The question that I would like to know your answer to is "What is science?". I realize that there is no definite answer, but it would be great if I could include the answer of a respected member of the scientific community in my response. Thank you for your time, William Sacks 660-74-5517

= As of 12/8/09 I am still waiting for a response from Dr. Jackson. She must be hard at work thinking of an answer to the question...or she is ignoring a student that helps pay her $1.6 million salary. At this point, I am starting to think that she has ignored the message, which is a shame. It really would have been a nice addition to have her opinion on the topic. =