Comments for Peter Tate

Comment on Giving What We Can by carol miers

carol miers — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:28:19 +0000

Yes I was impressed to hear about Tony Ord’s idea, there seems to be some kind of change because individual’s are taking action in many fields of life. I have written about Tony Ord on my yoga website too about what can get in the way to doing something to help http://www.carolmiers.com/2010/12/toby-ord-giving-what-he-can.html
regards

Comment on Is Violence Required to Address Climate Change? by Logan Robinson

Logan Robinson — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:44:10 +0000

it is very evident that climate change is already taking effect in this decade,’.

Comment on PR: Proportional Representation or Political Ransom? by Peter

Peter — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:34:02 +0000

The figures are modelled but with proper statistical rigour. The details are on the ERS site in their blog post from today.

Comment on PR: Proportional Representation or Political Ransom? by Carolyn Phillips

Carolyn Phillips — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:52:19 +0000

I agree we need electoral reform now, and that the Liberals are the only party progressive enough to really want it.

I am confused however by the figures shown here. How can we know the possible results of AV or STV since we do not know how people would have ranked the candidates they didn’t choose.

Comment on Hanging on Minority by Carolyn Phillips

Carolyn Phillips — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:59:01 +0000

I’ve just watched Brown’s speech and think he was spot on. He noted that the world had not stopped for our election, that things had to be done, government had to continue and they would do so. However he also recognised and respected Cameron and Clegg talking to each other first before saying if their talks broke down he would be happy to speak to any of the leaders.

No matter what outcome people want, he is right here. Government has not yet been replaced as no one has a majority and there are world matters that have to be attended to, so they have to do it. The conservatives got the most votes, and therefore have the moral right if not necessarily the constitutional right to try to form a coalition first.

Comment on Is it really worth voting? by fairyhedgehog

fairyhedgehog — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:13:17 +0000

Well, I live in a staunchly conservative area and my vote isn’t going to make any difference but for what it’s worth, I’ll vote Lib Dem.

If we’re lucky we’ll get electoral reform and then maybe next time my vote will matter.

Comment on Is it really worth voting? by Politics by blog… » Cross Business - from darrenphillips.com

Politics by blog… » Cross Business - from darrenphillips.com — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:03:15 +0000

[...] Peter Tate – http://petertate.com/randomthoughts/is-it-really-worth-voting/ [...]

Comment on Is it really worth voting? by Tweets that mention Is it really worth voting? : PeterTate.com -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Is it really worth voting? : PeterTate.com -- Topsy.com — Tue, 04 May 2010 23:56:36 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Peter Tate. Peter Tate said: New blog post: Is it really worth voting? http://petertate.com/randomthoughts/is-it-really-worth-voting/ [...]

Comment on Should we be afraid of the scientists? by Peter

Peter — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:23:36 +0000

Thanks Jeremy!

My brother-in-law has lent me a copy of “The Cult of the Amateur” by Andrew Keen (still to read!) which I suspect strongly reinforces the need for experts. Your comments reminded me of it and perhaps I’ll push it up the pile.

I do feel like and acknowledge that I am an amateur at all this but still feel inclined to share my opinions to initiate thinking rather than claim a “right position”. I’m glad we are allowed to debate – I just hope I’m allowed to be wrong too

Comment on Should we be afraid of the scientists? by Jeremy Bateman

Jeremy Bateman — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:10:06 +0000

Thank you for posting readers to this blog. It raises important points.
Our governments certainly need advanced political (thinking and) action, remembering Franklin D Roosevelt’s maxim that good neighborliness isn’t just good morals, but also good economics. However, this shouldn’t reduce efforts to solve the critical changes that the weight of evidence suggests must be dealt with.
A big deception of our time is the claim ‘you can’t trust the experts’. Not because experts are infallible; they aren’t – and none of the experts I know, in many and varied fields, claim to be. Experts make mistakes: but we still trust designers every time we set off in our cars, every time we comfort our babies while nurses inject them, and the four times a day I inject my insulin. (I had my worst diabetic problems in 20 years with the condition recently, and solved them not by dismissing what I’d heard from experts, but by seeing a diabetic nurse, telling her about them, and applying her expertise. Which so far has worked fine.)
Experts SOMETIMES disagree, and the mass media sees story opportunities which tend to ridicule and marginalise people whose conclusions we should be responding to.

One point, Peter: your use of the word ‘scientists’ may conjure up the media’s image of scientists as either comical figures in white coats, ridiculously ignorant of real world choices, or irresponsible Frankensteins who ignore realities that might blunt their insatiable devotion to their purpose (an attitude outside the definition of science; it’s more characteristic of religion).
You start by positing that scientists are a homogenous group, but immediately afterwards point out that they do indeed publically disagree on a big issue – hence discrediting the ‘sinister Big Science conspiracy’ meme.
Hope you & yours are all well!