Opinion | Donald Trump may not be a coronavirus expert, but it doesn’t mean he’s completely wrong, or that science is always right
- Between the self-certain scientists and the voluble president, who should take charge during the Covid-19 crisis? To give credit where it’s due, Donald Trump’s wish for an end to lockdown measures is politically sound
More than half a century ago, when the book publishing business was emboldened by larger-than-life editors such as Simon & Schuster’s Michael Korda, a short but unnerving book titled The Voice of the Dolphins came out – yes, from Simon & Schuster.
The fictional plot of the title story: an international panel of scientists stuns the world with a report that the complex language of chatty dolphins held in Sea-World-type captivity has been decoded; and this particular school of dolphins, with unbelievably high IQs, chirpily responds to all manner of controversial political questions posed.
Other amazing ideas seemingly spout forth from the dolphins, whose policy views, remarkably, echo precisely those of the scientists asking the questions. So you get the idea.
Half a century later, I still adore the ingenious plot of the story, but its basic assumption troubles me too. Implicit in Szilard’s ironic tale is the conviction that the policies of scientists, if religiously followed by politicians and the public, would solve many of the world’s problems.
