I do not mean to suggest that I take Bockris to be a fool, nor the opposite - I do not have enough information to draw a conclusion on that question. I do not think that fools should be promoted, but it is not clear to me how quick we should be to demote them. The chemists and other professors who object to Bockris's work act as if academic freedom is an important political issue, whether they would admit to that characterization or not. This is not really surprising, since ethics, politics, and life in academe are often intricately intertwined. Citations Mangan, Katherine S. 1994.
Texas professors say chemist's effort to turn mercury into gold is embarrassing.
The Chronicle of Higher Education , January 19, p. A19. Panel on Scientific Responsibility and the Conduct of Research. Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine. Responses to this essay, positive or negative, are welcome, as are similar essays aimed at stimulating thought and discussion.