Staff Reports
The Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp, was recently brought before Congress. This move seems to have rattled him enough to maybe consider viewpoints that don’t align with his own. This is quite a shock, as he’s not known for being open-minded.
During a hearing hosted by the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Thorp, who is a professor at George Washington University and the former chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, previously made it clear that he finds the idea of opposing government intervention to combat climate change completely unacceptable. He bashed the notion that climate change could be real, but we shouldn’t have government regulation to address it. What a rigid stance!
As the editor-in-chief of a group of seven academic journals, Thorp only seems to permit one viewpoint on climate change: it’s happening, it’s worrying, and it needs government intervention. However, it seems he’s finally acknowledged that other publications were too quick to dismiss the COVID-19 lab leak theory, which suggested the coronavirus originated from a lab in Wuhan, China. He also admitted that scientists need to be more open to other perspectives.
It’s worth mentioning that Nature magazine, which promptly dismissed the lab leak theory in a paper that was allegedly influenced by Dr. Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins, did not bother to send a representative to the hearing. Seems like they don’t want to face the music!
Thorp stated during the hearing that scientists do have opinions, but they also understand that science is an ongoing process. He admitted to mistakes within the scientific community and expressed regret for contributing to the politicization of COVID. Great, it’s about time someone owned up to it!
It’s good to see Thorp showing some remorse, but the problem remains that educated elites often use “science” as a trump card. It’s crucial for policymakers and scientists to remember that while science can inform us on the what and why, it can’t dictate the best policy. Science is just one piece of the puzzle when making decisions, which also involve moral, ethical, and economic considerations. Let’s not forget to use a little common sense, too!
Thorp’s remarks are a step in the right direction, but people will only listen to “science” when they feel that science cares about what they have to say. It’s high time for a more balanced approach to these issues. Good on Thorp for realizing this.
