Glenn T. Seaborg

Scientists Shed Wicked Wizard Tag: Nonscientists and scientists join in considering the social consequences of scientific ventures

Old legends die hard, but none has been more persistent than the belief that the scientist is something more, or perhaps something less, than a human being. The image of the scientist as a misguided or visionary eccentric is almost as old as western culture. In fact, Aristophanes wrote one of his most successful comedies on this theme and spoke of the scientists of his day, certain philosophers, as dwellers in Cloud-Cuckooland. But the image of the scientist as a more or less wicked wizard is perhaps even more ancient. You will recall that the demigod Prometheus stole fire from heaven and was rewarded by his superiors for this bit of insolence by being sentenced to an eternal career as a bird-feeding station. Whether or not he was wicked depended upon whether you took sides with the gods or Prometheuss human beneficiaries. To say the least, people have always felt some ...