{"id":1190,"date":"2019-02-12T22:13:13","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T22:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/?p=1190"},"modified":"2022-09-07T17:42:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T17:42:57","slug":"does-the-public-expect-too-much-from-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2019\/02\/12\/does-the-public-expect-too-much-from-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Does the Public Expect Too Much from Science?"},"content":{"rendered":"

by<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert T. Lackey\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

More than two decades ago, while Deputy Director of EPA\u2019s national research laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, I presented a talk to a group of community activists about why salmon populations<\/a> along the West Coast have dropped to less than 5% of their historical levels.  I\u2019ve given such talks many times so I was confident that I had heard just about every question that might be asked.  I was wrong.<\/p>\n

The opening question was asked by a well-known political activist.  He was direct, pointed, and bursting with hostility:  \u201cYou scientists always talk about our choices, but when will you finally tell us what we SHOULD do about the dramatic decline of West Coast salmon?  Quit talking about the science and your research and tell us what we should do!  Let\u2019s get on with it!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

From the nods of approval offered by many in the audience, his impatience with science and scientists was broadly shared.<\/p>\n

What does the public expect from scientists<\/a> regarding today\u2019s ecological policy issues? Some examples of such policy challenges include the decline of salmon<\/a>;  deciding on the proper role of wildfire on public lands;  what to do, if anything, about climate change;  the consequences of declining biological diversity;  and making sense of the confusing policy choices surrounding \u201csustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lament \u201cif we just had some better science, a little more data, we could resolve this policy question\u201d<\/em> is common among both scientists and decision makers.  Calls for more research are everywhere in ecological policy debates.<\/p>\n

In most cases, even if we had complete scientific knowledge about all aspects of an issue, the same rancorous debate would emerge.  Root policy differences are invariably over values and preferences<\/a>, not science, data, and facts.<\/p>\n

In a pluralistic society, with a wide array of values and preferences competing for dominance, the ecological policy debate is usually centered around whose values<\/a> and preferences will carry the day rather than over scientific information.<\/p>\n

So what was my answer to the emotionally charged question from the political activist?<\/p>\n

It was: \u201cScience, although an important part of policy debates, remains but one element, and often a minor one, in the decision-making process.  We scientists can assess the ecological consequences of various policy options, but in the end, it is up to society to prioritize those options and make their choices accordingly.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t pleased.<\/p>\n

***************<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Robert T. Lackey More than two decades ago, while Deputy Director of EPA\u2019s national research laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, I presented a talk to a group of community activists about why salmon populations along the West Coast have dropped to less than 5% of their historical levels.  I\u2019ve given such talks many times so… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4014,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1237562],"tags":[150863,140586,1237561,1324,716983,150862,2515,2794,150861],"class_list":["post-1190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ecological-policy","tag-biological-integrity","tag-conservation","tag-conservation-biology","tag-ecology","tag-ecosystem-health","tag-environmental-protection","tag-environmental-science","tag-natural-resources","tag-restoration-ecology"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p94BFg-jc","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1168,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2019\/01\/25\/is-science-biased-toward-natural-environments\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":0},"title":"Is Science Biased Toward Natural Environments?","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"January 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert T. Lackey In science, when you see the words \u201cnatural,\u201d \u201chealthy,\u201d \u201cdegraded,\u201d and \u201cbiological integrity,\u201d\u00a0 all these terms, and many others, have embedded assumptions about what someone or some organization regards as a desirable value choice, a preferred policy choice. These and similar words have no place in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/files\/2019\/01\/Blog-Logo.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2132,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2024\/11\/24\/the-emergence-of-religious-ecology\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":1},"title":"The Emergence of Religious Ecology","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"November 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Robert T. Lackey Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Robert.Lackey@oregonstate.edu \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An especially muddying factor in unraveling ecological policy disputes is identifying the role of religious views in shaping scientific information. \u00a0These days, religious, ethical, or moral values are often embedded in \u201cscience\u201d to form a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2961\/files\/2024\/11\/Definitions-of-Key-Words-in-Ecological-Policy-Management-Science-Gray-Lackey-2024-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1055,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2017\/08\/19\/is-ecosystem-health-a-useful-metaphor-in-science\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":2},"title":"Is Ecosystem Health a Useful Metaphor in Science?","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"August 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert T. Lackey Several years ago, toward the end of my career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one of the \u201coutreach\u201d staff in Washington, DC, telephoned me in Corvallis and posed a question:\u00a0 \u201cIn science, why isn\u2019t the notion of ecosystem health a useful metaphor to convey scientific\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/files\/2019\/01\/Blog-Logo.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2024,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2023\/12\/24\/seminar-columbia-river-basin-how-would-ending-fishing-and-closing-hatcheries-change-wild-salmon-and-steelhead-abundance\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":3},"title":"PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION SEMINAR \u2014 Columbia River Basin: How Would Ending Fishing and Closing Hatcheries Change Wild Salmon and Steelhead Abundance?*","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"December 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Robert T. Lackey Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon\u00a0 97331 *********************** https:\/\/media.oregonstate.edu\/media\/t\/1_xoz803bc *********************** Seminar Summary: The overall public policy goal of restoring Pacific salmon wild runs in the Columbia River Basin appears to enjoy widespread public support.\u00a0 Billions of dollars have failed to reverse\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1069,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2014\/09\/21\/is-science-the-key-to-resolving-environmental-policy-disputes\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":4},"title":"Is Science the Key to Resolving Environmental Policy Disputes?","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"September 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert T. Lackey Is more and better science the key to resolving environmental policy debates?\u00a0 Some scientists \u00a0\u2014 and many others without training in science \u2014 seem to think so.\u00a0 The short answer, however, is that science is rarely, if ever, is the key. But, how often have you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/files\/2019\/01\/Blog-Logo.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1212,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/2019\/03\/18\/axioms-that-help-deconstruct-ecological-policy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1190,"position":5},"title":"Axioms for Deconstructing Ecological Policy","author":"Robert Lackey","date":"March 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by\u00a0 Robert T. Lackey Many of today\u2019s ecological policy issues are politically contentious, socially wrenching, and replete with scientific uncertainty.\u00a0 They are\u00a0often described as wicked, messy policy problems (e.g., reversing the decline of salmon;\u00a0 deciding on the proper role of wildfire on public lands;\u00a0 what to do, if anything, about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ecological Policy"","block_context":{"text":"Ecological Policy","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/category\/ecological-policy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/files\/2019\/01\/Blog-Logo.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4014"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1190"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1849,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1190\/revisions\/1849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/lackey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}