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SAM/287c                adapted from SAM/287b
Abstract for AAAS 2/13/88

Confidential Advice in the Public Interest
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     PSAC's dilemma.
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JOSHUA LEDERBERG (Rockefeller University)
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Scientists are eager to furnish the most expert advice
to the President, especially on technical matters on
which they can speak with particular authority.  Many of
us urge the reestablishment of PSAC.  As a prior condition,
however, we must also understand his
authentic need to have advisers whose discretion and confidence
can be trusted, however deeply they may disagree
with him on specific issues. To ensure
that all of the relevant options and contingencies
are thought about, nothing is more valuable than a
candid devil's advocacy, which may be born out of
principled dissent with his policies, but should
be openminded and restrained to be able to
understand his logic as well.
The most hostile opponents need not be
sought on every issue; there will be ample dissent
if any broadly constituted, experienced group of
independent thinkers is recruited.  He is unlikely to confide in them, however,
if they criticize his judgments in public as well
as in private counsels.  Their
prestige as members of PSAC will give them
advantages in public debate that a president would
be loath to enhance for his openly avowed critics.
Unlike full-time appointees, they do not
expect to resign if the president decides contrary
to their deepest convictions;  but if they speak out
inappropriately, they imperil the privilege of the
executive's confidence.  The other side of the
bargain is that the president not exploit  his confidential
advisers to win political support.
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There is no way that advice of any kind can be
forced on a reluctant president.  One of our tasks
is to revive a modus operandi that will show that
the national interest is not in irreconcilable
conflict with his political imperatives -- and
that better and more commendable, even more
voteworthy, government will be the result.