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DASA 2019-2
I think that Arthur said that we would hope that we would make a
dent in the problerm, but | think that one thing we can be sure of is
that the problem will make a dentinus of onus, a big one, andl
think it's quite necessary.
{t's quite an assignment that we have before us, particularly in
view of the fact that there have been so few nuclear wars for us to
extrapolate from, Huwever, we ought to be dented, I'm guite sure.
The conference pattern, for those of you who haven't been here
before, ia based on the kind of conference procedure that was devel~
oped in the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, and | have been continuing
that firat in ATBS and now with the New York Academyof Sciences,
This is to provide a forum for what does not ordinarily take place in
scientific meetings, that it, a real dig susston in depth among a group
of people who come from very different backgrounds «.f training.
We belicve we have made a great rediacovery and we are waiting
for the Nobel Prize Committee to decide that Nobel Prizes are given
for rediacovericesa, They haven't shown any signs of doing this yet,
but we are very patient. The rediscovery is that people communicate
with one another not by speaking at but by conversing with.
[am sure
that all of you are aware of the fact that at most scientific mectings
there is no conversation with the chairman as the discussion starts.
At the end of the morning he says he hates to interrupt this fascinating
discussion but unfortunately we are twenty minutes behind on our
agenda and IT must call on Professor so-and-so to make another statement at you.
Buta pood active discussion in the form of bull sessions
does take place in the corridors, in people's rooms and in the bar,
and often tars is the most rewarding part of scientific sessions. So,
we thought, why not focus on the rewarding part’? This is what we
try ‘odo her, that is, to bring the bull session point of view of the
corridors and‘ihe people's rooms and the bar into the conference
room. Uf anybody feels very impelled to make a speech at our conferences,
badly.
we send sim to the bar'
s
{Laughter|
Lhat works not too
Other than that, we belic-ee in conversation and, as alt of you are
aware,
the heart of conversation «s interruption,
So the mood of our
conferences is, don t speak when cm interrupting. This is the way
it will be. TP want to warn our discussion initiators that, in spite of
the fact that one of our co-echatrmen nay ticve invited then: to be prepared to tatk tor mot more than half an hour, tn y will be interruptrd.