I have always quite despised Carl Sagan's pious proclamation that, "As a
scientist, I have to go where the evidence takes me." (my own critique of
this is found at http://alpha.centenary.edu/joel/contact.html)
It was therefore with some perverse and (probably) sinful pride that I
took a lesson from Carl in dismissing criticism when I was testifying
as an expert in a traffic accident case.
On cross examination, the attorney was harassing me about witness
statements that disagreed with the physical evidence. After a few
replies in which I stated that the witness's impressions of what he
was doing were not consistent with the facts of the case, I just
looked at him and said, "As a scientist, I have to go where the
evidence takes me."
Even some of the most ridiculous statements can sometimes be
redeemed---and it was so much fun using it!
On other front, involvement in the legal system should cure anyone of
believing that it is a good way of arriving at the truth (compared for
example, scientific publication and discourse). My two favorite
quotes, coming from a person experienced in this business who is good,
honest, and has been been very helpful are:
1) "Don't get overconfident based on the facts."
2) "You have got to stop being surprised at what people will
say."
Regarding 2), among other things I found a physics professor that apparently
had forgotten Newton's Laws---and stated the linear and angular
momentum were not separately conserved, and another non-physics person
that seemed to inhabit an alternative reality---both had testified in
hundreds of court cases.
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Joel W. Cannon | (318)869-5160
Dept. of Physics | (318)869-5061 FAX
Centenary College of Louisiana |
P. O. Box 41188 |
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188 |