Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand funding

Dear V-8 Buick observers of the scientific process,

This morning there is a news article on Good Morning Silicon Valley about Ex-Lawrence Livermore Lab scientist sentenced to prison over faking research data to get U.S. grants:

http://www.siliconvalley.com/2016/1...e-lab-research-scientist-sentenced-to-prison/

It is of course a single isolated act. It isn't true that all scientists falsify data. Nonetheless it should make a point that academia and scientific research institutions should take to heart. The assumption is that the quest for truth is somehow self-regulating. Nobody engaged in the process of scientific inquiry could possibility lie or be dishonest. Yet, this is nothing more than naive wishful thinking.

It should cause everyone to shuffle the order of importance in human activity. Today, we take for granted morality while we hold science and technology in high esteem. Everyone should instead be very consciously seeking a moral and ethical world - first. Without it, there is nothing science or technology could do to save us.

A somber and sobering thought on the Winter Solstice and just a few days from a holiday when we all should be pondering such things.

Edouard

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

Unfortunately this is exactly as you described "an isolated" instance and we have literally no way of knowing who is telling us the truth or a version of the truth that has been auctioned off by the highest bidder. We have been raised to think that education is the answer to all things and those who "know" are to be trusted. I think young people are getting smarter or adapting to their environment by necessity. Can you imagine the world we live in today if we would have second guessed all the normal "truths" of the 60's,70's,etc....No one ever told you in high school about home mortgages,divorce rates,business failure rates,the creation of the FED,sex in advertising,the politics behind multi-national corporations....onto infinity....I had read a post on here awhile back about tiny houses and younger people, and then I was watching a documentary on Netflix titled "minimalism"....these subjects are not disconnected. The sanctity of knowledge is often being put back into perspective with ones self and those who are not connected with a lesser agenda or lesser God if you are a Tennyson reader.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

As has been said a million times before: "Money (or the lack of it) is the root of all evil. The fact that an individual is highly educated does not necessarily make him exempt from this maxim.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

Ordered to pay over 3 million in restitution after his release. How will that happen since he does not and will not have a job and any moneys in the bank will most likely be seized.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

It won't, but at least the powers-that-be will be able to garnish his McDonald's paycheck for $10 per week.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

Correction: "The LOVE of money is the root of all evil". 1 Timothy 6:10

Money itself is powerless without the perverted love of it.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

I very rarely post, but a big "THANK YOU" Ken for a correct quote.

Loren@65GS.com

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

So, then it is greed that is the root of evil? It may not be your money they're after. It may be other things that God made you caretaker of that another may covet.

 

A good time to broaden your horizons (Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted)

Dear Dan, Briz, John, Ken, Loren, and V-8 Buick armchair philosophers,

Hmm, I was concerned about that Netflix documentary called Minimalism. You confirm that is about this nonsense idea that effectively we all must compromise because human overpopulation is out of control. Still, perhaps I should take a look at it.

Sorry guys but you are really missing the point on this one. Money is a recent creation of human beings, and evil has been around as recorded history. Okay as usual, I'll beg to differ but I see evil existing before the time of humans in things like extinction events. I think it is an important observation to consider because it places the struggle between good and evil through what we observe through science. There is a misguided notion that science observe natural things and morality is outside the realm of science. The world clearly doesn't work like that. While the attempt to relabel "good and evil" into "normal and diseased" continue, events like terrorism has been the wake-up call to everyone that evil is undeniably real.

Jesus railed against attempts to come up with simple rules of conduct. What at the time seemed like simply an attempt to overturn a corrupt Jewish legal system, is I think much more. Work in of all things, Artificial Intelligence, has shown that rules are a misguided way to capture conduct. I think Jesus was giving us ideas about how our modern works that require a lot of thought to uncover.

It is a good time to ponder these things. Instead of simply getting hung up the sea of rituals or getting on the thread-mill of religious practice at this time of year, it is a good time to ask questions about how Christianity emerged from ancient religions, or how modern cosmology might have something to do with the second coming. There is a lot more about Christmas than meets the eye and sadly this time of year is all about obscuring that.

Edouard

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

If you are going to make this a religious conversation, please do so in the proper forum, not here in The Bench. Thank you.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

I don't think its isolated incident. Corruption runs as deep in scientific community as it does in religious community. Whether its man made global warming or evolution, there are many scientists who want to advance their hate and contempt for the religious community enough to lie. Especially when being paid large sums of money by the academic industry and other companies who make huge $$$$ off these platforms.

 

Re: Lawrence Livermore researcher convicted of falsifying data to receive grand fundi

We are going to end this one right here, before it swerves any farther into politics.

JW