Re: paleonet Burgess Shale Fossil Theft

[Pristis@xxxxxxx]

Thank you, Andrew, for your thoughtful response.

I think you mis-characterize my purpose -- I am not "sneering" at your
mindset, I am providing a perspective different from the typical.  I am
guaging the typical mindset from the responses here and reading elsewhere.  I
have elicited here sarcasm, anger, and personal attacks -- a lot of heat, but
not much light.

You sound as lucid and logical as most, let me ask you directly:
Do you consider the loss of one worm impression specimen at the quarry site a
"tragedy" equivalent to torturing a large animal or to the loss of the
Liberty Bell (these are not my comparisons!)?  Yes or No?  Yes seems to be
the politically correct answer.  I say no.  

Let's keep this thread at a philosophical level as best we can.  I would like
to think of this thread as a reality check, a chance to test unexamined
values.

---------Harry Pristis

<><><><><>

In a message dated 9/4/01 9:51:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
asimpson@els.mq.edu.au writes:

Dear palaeonetters,

A few weeks ago we saw some graphic evidence of a pillaged fossil site in
Queensland on a new Australian science television show.  Its a world wide
problem.

Depressing stuff, but lets not tarnish all "fossil entrepreneurs" and
"amateur collectors" with the same brush.  There's nothing wrong with being
a fossil collector if you're also interested in the science.  If you're
interested in collecting fossils but not interested in palaeontology then I
feel sorry for you because you're missing out on so much - it must be like
having a self administered frontal lobotomy!

Let's face it, any scientist (amateur or professional) doesn't like to see
their raw data disappear - doesn't matter whether its perceived as an
important or less important branch of science - who makes such hilarious
subjective judgements anyway!

Why does it matter if raw data dissappears?  Well, without raw data the
science wont grow and can't challenge the assumptions and conclusions
already built from the available data set.  If that doesn't happen well, it
isn't really science then is it?

Why join a "backwater" science list to sneer at the mindset of other list
dwellers?  I think the last par of Thomas's post says it all.  Struth - in
terms of lack of perspective I think the bloke who started this thread is
the holotype!  

Why not pick up a book, explore the internet, go to your local library and
museum, do some courses - get interested!  You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Cheers

Andrew


Andrew Simpson
Science Museums
Division of Environmental and Life Sciences
Macquarie University NSW 2109