Scientists on trial

[Rincewind]

From BBC News

Found this on one site but according to a comment the report was not too accurate and didnt tell everything. Which proves that you should not believe everything. The comment said it may have been due to restrictions of space for the report.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Some scientists, like people in all walks of life, have their own agendas. They also make mistakes. Nothing that any person says should be taken as gospel just because of whom they are, be they scientist, doctor, priest or FoxesTalk poster.

[Rincewind]

I think what it was, not that they didn't predict it they never said it was possible or thought it possible but never said anything. On the messageboard I saw one said maybe the Pope should also go on trial too as he has the hotline to the top boss who knows everything.

[Thracian]

So, given the warnings of the many minor quakes and of the nuclear scientist, why didn't the journalist take his family away if he had concerns? And, seeing as he didn't why not sue himself for negligence?

But no, there's always got to be someone else to blame, some scapegoat in these days of compensation culture.

Truth is, if the scientists cry wolf and nothing happens they're condemned (and potentially sueable by all the people incurring expense for being evacuated) and if they calm people's fears and there's a catastrophe they're still condemned. People are all so clever in hindsight.

If there's evidence of deliberate negligence or the withholding of vital evidence then there might be a case worth investigating.

But pillorying people for making honest mistakes or misjudgements is something completely different. Do we sue every doctor who has a patient die because some other course of action might have been more beneficial? No wonder highly skilled people are having to pay more and more out for professional indemnity insurance. The wonder is they bother using their skills at all.

[The People's Hero]

Bloody hell.

I agree with every word Thracian has just said.

[Rincewind]

I posted fhe link from the BBC site because the place I saw it first may have brought biased reaction because of the site.

Thought one reply was good. They said the scientiists should be thought of like the bankers that lost a lot of money for investors. They should plead guilty so they could receive the same punishment of golden handshakes.

It does show how silly things have become. Times and dates of earthquakes cannot be predicted exactly. A lot of guesswork goes on some acurate but the earths innercrust is constantly moving. Scientists may be able to say there will be some movement but not how much. They are getting better at it though.