OFFICE MEMORANDUM e STANFORD UNIVERSITY © OFFICE MEMORANDUM @ STANFORD UNIVERSITY © OFFICE MEMORANDUM

To

FROM

SUBJECT:

MAR 94 1967

DATE: March 23, 1967

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics

Spyros Andreopoulos
Medical Center News Bureau

 

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

Some months ago, SCIENCE carried an article by Minneapolis Tribune
science writer Vic Cohn on the need for a more meaningful reporting
of scientific developments to the public. The questions Vic raised
were "are we really telling the people about science?" and “how well
are we doing as science writers?" His answer was, obviously not well
enough, in the face of the world's lagging response to nuclear dan-
gers, to overpopulation and to change itself.

I am mentioning this because I think your excellent column in The
Washington Post is the only serious newspaper effort I know, delving
deeper into the effects of science on people and public policy. We
so-called science writers, except for an exceptional few, fail to

pay enough attention to the lessons and uses of science and technology
--the fact that they are not separate entities, but they affect every
field, and reliable, meaningful facts about them must be woven into
many kinds of writing so they may become part of public thinking.

For these reasons your column has been very stimulating and informative.
In a way, it makes me feel that I am missing the big story of our time
through daily preoccupation with trivia.

© WNAONVYOWIW 351ddO © ALISHFAINN GYOINVIS ©

WNONVYOWIW Jd14dO © ALISYZAINN GYOINVLS @ WNAONVYOWIW 3didsO © ALISHSAINN GYOIANVILS