Science and propaganda.

• Author: Gehring, Erik
• Position: From Readers - Letter to the Editor

Thanks for the thoughtful essay, "What Happens to Civilization When Its Main Source of Knowledge Is Ads?" [Note From a Worldwatcher, March/April]. Ed Ayres mentions all-too-briefly the widespread use of misinformation and disinformation from "think-tanks" and "research institutes" like the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute, which are in actuality little more than industry shills. Perhaps in another article you can fully detail these wolves in scientific clothing, as well as industry's other shady means to get their two cents' worth of "science" counted for far more than it should.

For example, for many years companies have been directly contracting academic research themselves. The Los Angeles Times reported last December that ExxonMobil, in an appeal of the $5.3 billion penalty levied for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, cited papers regarding jury competence, which research coincidentally supported lesser jury awards. Curiously though, the company didn't mention the fact that they had sponsored said research. Even more curious is that such company-sponsored research almost invariably favors...