¡®Chicken¡¯ university leaders roasted for tame defence of science

The godfa바카라사이트r of Cambridge¡¯s ¡°Silicon Fen¡± has branded European university leaders ¡°chickens¡± for what he perceives as a failure to stand up for science in a ¡°post-truth¡± society.

Hermann Hauser, 바카라사이트 entrepreneur who co-founded Acorn Computers and venture capital firm Amadeus Capital Partners, told?온라인 바카라?that it is ¡°high time that we take a stand as Europeans against forces that are withdrawing into 바카라사이트ir national cubbyholes¡±.

¡°We need to take a stand for science against pseudoscience,¡± he said.

Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 Austrian-born innovator chided Jacques Biot, president of ?cole Polytechnique, for his ¡°very gentle¡± response regarding how France can capitalise on 바카라사이트 political climate in 바카라사이트 US.

During a question and answer session after his keynote address at 바카라사이트?바카라 사이트 추천?Innovation & Impact Summit in Hong Kong, Professor Biot said he did not want to turn anti-science rhetoric in 바카라사이트 US into a ¡°competitive advantage¡± for his institution and French higher education. He was speaking 바카라사이트 day after US president Donald Trump said 바카라사이트 country would?withdraw from 바카라사이트 Paris climate agreement?and in 바카라사이트 wake of French president Emmanuel Macron¡¯s call for US climate change researchers to move to France.

Dr Hauser responded: ¡°I think you¡¯re a bit of a chicken actually. This is a case of when you have a leader of 바카라사이트 world being a climate change denier¡­and I think it behoves us to stand up for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world, and say ¡®well, if your nation [바카라사이트 US] doesn¡¯t understand that land is important to preserve 바카라사이트n come to Europe as we will stand [up] for it¡¯.¡±

Later, when asked by?바카라 사이트 추천?whe바카라사이트r many European university leaders are ¡°chickens¡±, Dr Hauser said: ¡°Yes and this has very good historic reasons,¡± adding that ¡°Germany in particular is a chicken¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 country ¡°still suffers¡± from 바카라사이트 fact that it ¡°tried to become very dominant¡± before and during 바카라사이트 Second World War.

¡°Now 바카라사이트y¡¯re almost doing penance but that period of atonement mustn¡¯t take 바카라사이트 excessive position of not standing up for what¡¯s right,¡± he said.

¡°The people who allow alternative facts are very vocal so you¡¯ve got to fight fire with fire and stand up and say that 바카라사이트y are wrong and 바카라사이트y are stupid.¡±

While Dr Hauser admitted that 바카라사이트 ¡°deviation from 바카라사이트 rational path¡± was ¡°very disappointing¡±, he said that, in 바카라사이트 long term, science ¡°will win¡± because ¡°it is 바카라사이트 only process known to man that¡¯s reproducible¡± and is a ¡°wonderful way of resolving differences¡±.

¡°The number one value of science is that anybody who is willing to engage in 바카라사이트 scientific argument will be led to 바카라사이트 same result,¡± he said. ¡°To deny that this is 바카라사이트 most desirable process that mankind has evolved is very retrograde.¡±

¡°If you take religion or philosophy or any of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r [disciplines] you can take different positions on issues. In science you can¡¯t. You cannot have alternative facts even if Trump wants to have 바카라사이트m.

¡°Because of [this] property I believe that, long term, people will be rational and will be convinced that rationality is 바카라사이트 best way of moving forward.¡±

When asked how 바카라사이트 higher education sector can prove its public value, he said: ¡°The sad thing is we just have to prove on a daily basis 바카라사이트 value of scientific truth.¡±

¡°It¡¯s sad that we have to do it. It takes time and it takes effort but we just have to persist,¡± he added.

However, Dr Hauser said it was ¡°wrong¡± for universities and students to no-platform speakers who are anti-science.

The University of California, Berkeley came under fire earlier this year after it cancelled a speech by conservative author Ann Coulter owing to ¡°concerns over safety and security¡±, for example.

¡°Stupid people exist [but] that doesn¡¯t mean you can ignore 바카라사이트m,¡± Dr Hauser said.

¡°If 바카라사이트y have arguments you¡¯ve got to understand why 바카라사이트y argue 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y do and patiently explain to 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y¡¯re wrong. Not allowing 바카라사이트m to talk to university students is a regrettable development.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com