[From Bruce Buchanan 940904 21:25 EDT]
Bill Powers (940904.0840 MDT) writes:
. . .No matter what the data say, the matter
still comes down to who you trust: the people who reported the facts,
the people who collected them for publication, the people who decided
which parts to publish, the people who reviewed the data base to see
what it said. You can't get away from the people who are always involved
with producing and interpreting data. . . .
I agree. I had intended to emphasize the vital importance of a wide open
process, certainly accessible to all the stakeholders, but not limited to
any group. Anyone with an interest or something at stake should not only be
free to do so but should probably exercise that responsibility, at least
from time to time, to keep the powers-that-be alert and accountable, or
toss them out.
You can only trust the politicians - and the bureaucrats - as far as you
have sound reasons for believing or checking up on them.
Similar considerations apply to data. One cannot trust data without knowing
who asked for and perhaps paid for it, why and how it was collected, the
processes of analysis, etc. One cannot even understand and interpret it
without knowing such things.
For many people (present readership and especially Bill Powers excepted) a
feeling of reliance on trust is both a contributing cause and a result of a
lack of personal competency and power. As children and young people we all
must trust others, but later on and in a wider and perhaps less protected
world we must use more mature judgement.
I am dead against blind trust, and all for responsibility, alertness and
vigilance that are the price of liberty!
Cheers!
Bruce B.