The New Uncertainty Principle For complex environmental issues, science learns to take a backseat to political precaution Observe before you project yourself on a parabolic trajectory. The weight of 28.35 grams of prevention is worth 454 grams of cure.
Science certainly has much to say on taking precautions.
Indeed, given the scope of such problems, they may never be. Given the uncertainty, some politicians and activists are insisting on caution first, science second. In other words, actions taken to protect the environment and human health take precedence. Therefore, some advocates say, governments should immediately ban the planting of genetically modified crops, even though science can't yet say definitively whether they are a danger to the environment or to consumers. This and other arguments surfaced at a recent conference on the precautionary principle at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, which drew more than 200 people from governments, industry, and research institutions of several countries.