Where have you been???

[anders59]

God morning!! I just read your article in Dagens Industri..and I must say it was not one day too late!!
For many years I have been stunned with the absence of spokes people, organizations and/or leaders
arguing nuclear power as a natural partial solution to the world's climat change issues.
I certainly appreciate that the nine of you now stand up and make your voice heard. A couple of you do
carry weight and trust based on your area of expertise and that is good.

You do however argue what should really be common knowledge. But it is not. Against you stand a number of powerful
organizations and well known people who today dominate the public eye.

You will immediately get several reponses on your article. Pls be prepared to handle the debate in a factual and convincing manner.
You also need to recruit more heavy weight spokes people..to handle the media ..

Who am I: International Business leader for more than 20 years. Degree in Applied Physics..theoretical semiconductor physics.
Mathematics and physics are today hobbies....

Gear up guys!

Anders

[Michael]

Wow, thank you for this overwhelming response.

It is true that "the industry" is painfully quiet while the opponents have next to free reign in the public debate. The frustration over this is partly why we started NPYP.

Do feel free to drop back whenever you like, we want the network to grow.

/Michael

[anders59]

Michael,

Yes 'the industry' is quiet. Understandably so..in case you mean the companies who have a commercial
interest in today's nuclear power. They won't rock the boat..too good revenues and margins to risk.

We need academia..Ie objective professors and scolars to make their voice heard. Where are they???

I listned to a program in Swedish radio P1 1975 where Tor Ragnar Gerholm was interviewed. I recorded it
and listned several times (I was 16). From that moment I knew I would become a physisist. This is the kind of heavy weight
spokes people needed. You got 55 members..hmmm.
Are there other organizations in addition to you?? Join forces!!

I will spend time here..I promise.

In the next days you will be attacked in DI..do you have a HEAVY WEIGHT scolar lined up to rebutt?? If not..you have work to do and it
is urgent. You may today have started a debate that will give you the opportunity to gain huge momentum..if you handle professionally.

If you want to discuss I am always available 070-2611211

Anders

[Michael]

This will sound presumptuous... but we are not dependant on scholars to make our case. Appeal To Authority is a futile game that cannot be won because 1) it's' a logical fallacy to rely on someone on their title alone and 2) you can always find a 'scholar' or similar authority no matter your position on the subject. The anti-nukes have been doing this for ages and we will just look like Johnny-come-latelies if we try to beat them at this game.

So we are taking a different approach: science and "see for yourself". It's not magic or hard, it's just nuclear power! All the information is out there in open sources, like Wikipedia. Just as long as you know how and where to look - and process the information - you can upstage any professor that presents false arguments. We have done it already (check the blog for our response to professor Eva Selin Lindgren).

Our position is that if we cannot reply and stand for our position on our own, we'll fold. It's the only way we can assure others - and ourselves - that our opinion is valid. The day we must revert to arguments like "we are right because Authority X says we are" we have failed miserably. That day we're no better than the anti-nukes.

Oh... did I mention we naive idealists?

/Michael


/Michael

[Klas2k]

First, thank you for the feedback

I completely agree with Michael, we try to state our case with "common sense".
If we get factual arguments we will analyze and respond to them with facts.
If we get nonsense, or non-factual arguments we also try to respond with facts and logical reasoning.

We actually succeed many times, if not to convert anti-nuclear activists, at least to make them question some of the arguments they have used only by tradition, and make the debate more factual. So far mostly in blogs and on the web, but we are trying to get articles and editorials into the papers as well, and succeed from time to time.

However, having more renowned scholars is probably a good idea, and would probably carry even more weight to our arguments, as long as the arguments still are factual and you do not try to make a statement that "I am right because I do have a professors degree" etc.

/K

[anders59]

Michael, I understand your position but I do not agree. You lose no credibility just because
you are a scholar.

The general public is full of misconceptions re nuclear power and the nuclear industry and I appreciate your
attempt to put on the radar screen.

All the best.

Anders

[Johan]

I am on Anders train of thought here. I think it is always beneficial to have a professor or similar signing the article. Appeal to authority might be a formal fallacy, but it still gives more credibility to the article. It also makes it easier to get articles published.

[anders59]

It is not just that you need a professor..to sign an article..I would expect them
to lead or co-lead the movement. Are they stuck in their labs or what?

If Gerholm had been alive you bet he would have been out there..

For those of you who know of Richard Dawkins, professor of Biology.
This is what I talk about..but in your area..

[Michael]

Ok, to clarify: if scholars or other"big names" want to join we are of course thrilled. My point was that titles and big names will not be an argument per se. We will still make our case for nuclear using verifyable arguments and scinetific facts.

As far as rebuttals to replies goes: if you want to be in on them, hey, we'll be happy to have you among the signatures. And if you know any scholar that wants to join, have her/him give us a holler and they will be with us too in beating back any attacks.

/Michael

[Michael]

It is not just that you need a professor..to sign an article..I would expect them
to lead or co-lead the movement. Are they stuck in their labs or what?

Unfortunately they are. Being an opnion-maker is a fulltime job. Heck, we barely have time to do the little things we do presently. It doesn't get any better with the nuclear industry not daring to take the fight.

It is basically a marketing and education problem. For that you need teachers and marketeers that have the time and the resources to do it.

/Michael