WHAT’S NEW Robert L. Park Friday, 10 Jul 09 Washington, DC

1. NIH: FRANCIS COLLINS IS NOMINATED TO HEAD HEALTH AGENCY.
NIH is flush with stimulus money, and Collins will oversee the world’s
largest single scientific research budget. He was a natural choice for NIH
director, having led the National Human Genome Research project in its
successful race against maverick Craig Venter. Although Collins’
scientific credentials are impressive, and he aligns himself with science
on issues of fact, including intelligent design and stem cell research,
scientists wince when he describes himself as an “evangelical Christian.”
http://bobpark.umd.edu/WN09/,wn060509.html , but now that Collins has been
nominated we should look more closely. Religious converts tend to be
zealots. In the final chapter of his book, "The Language of God," Collins,
attributes his conversion, at 27, from atheism to Christianity to a
powerful religious experience. It led him to examine the evidence for a
god. He said he was persuaded by two arguments: 1) the anthropic
principle, and 2) the moral law.

2. JUSTIFICATION: WHAT DO SCIENTISTS OF FAITH BELIEVE?
All seven physicist-winners of the Templeton Prize cite the same two
arguments as persuasive: 1) The anthropic principle, which states
that “Nature's laws were designed to make life possible.” I would
paraphrase that in less pompous language, “If things were different, things
would not be the way things are.” 2) The moral law, which states, “we know
the difference between right and wrong.” Neurosciene agrees; basic morality
is hardwired in our brain at birth. My priest friends explained that the
wiring was done by the Holy Ghost. I suspect that the Ghost consulted with
Darwinian evolution. Given the right triggers, everyone seems susceptible
to emotional experiences that appear to transcend the rational. As WN said
before, it is troubling that a PhD chemist with an MD did not recognize
such an experience as a hormone rush.

3. L’AQUILA ACCORD: WHAT WE HAVE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.
At the Group of Eight meeting in L’Aquila, Italy this week, the world's
major economies agreed to limit the rise in Earth's average temperatures
but declined to set numerical targets for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions. 17 countries that account for 4/5 of the world's greenhouse gas
production signed the declaration which at most amounts to an agreement
that there is a problem. The conflict is between rich and poor countries.
Poor countries argue that if the rich were serious they would provide
funding to ease the transition of poor countries to a lower-emissions
economy. A more practical solution would be to assist the poor countries to
educate women and make the pill universally available.

4. FOOD FIGHT: FOREIGN INVESTORS ARE BUYING UP LAND IN AFRICA.
According to a story in the Guardian, investors in some of the world's
richest countries are buying or leasing land in some of the world's poorest
countries in anticipation of major world food shortages. An estimated one
million Chinese farmers have been moved to Africa. India and South Korea
are also major investors in African food production. In some parts of
Africa the trend may save the land from being broken up into small,
uneconomic farms that succumb to desertification from over cultivation.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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