Instincts

“You have scientists on both sides of it. My uncle was a great professor at MIT for many years, Dr. John Trump. And I didn’t talk to him about this particular subject, but I have a natural instinct for science, and I will say that you have scientists on both sides of the picture.”

President Donald Trump, describing his natural instinct for science and how it informs his analysis of climate change in an interview with the Associated Press, 10-17-2018

(I can totally identify! My own Dad was a pharmacist for many years, and later the CEO of a hospital. I find I have natural instincts for both prescribing therapeutics and running medical institutions. So amazing, isn’t it, that one can be super good at something apparently fairly complex and specialized, even without any formal training in that thing, just by virtue of having a blood relative who was successful at it? Who wants to consult me about what to take for that rash? I’m pretty sure I can run a hospital in my sleep! Wanna come to my hospital during your next illness? Natural instincts, baby!)

(By the way, Dr. John Trump, who was on the faculty at MIT, was noted for his pioneering work in X-ray generators in the 1930’s, leading to radiation treatments, and radar in the 1940’s. Which may explain why Donald Trump used to “talk about nuclear” with his uncle, but “didn’t talk to him about this particular subject [climate change].”)

“That is true, there are scientists on both sides. On one side, all the scientists. On the other, one guy who runs a blog called RealTrueAmericanScienceEagle.jesus.”

Stephen Colbert, 10-17-2018

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