Arsenic, Gods and Science: Another Opinion
Actually, there is little one can say about Prof. de Silva. Although a Dean of Science at a major university, he is not a scientist, but a mathematician. He openly despises science, always qualifying the word with the adjective “western.” He believes that the West is using “western” science to “suppress” us. He further states that the SLAAS represents this presumably evil, colonialist, western science in Sri Lanka, but then boasts of his life membership in it. He clearly does not understand how science works, and believes that it is acceptable, in his version of science, to collaborate with a god. He claims that it was because of this collaboration that his group did not publish theft results; did the god decline to be named as a co-author?
Prof. de Silva challenges the President of the SLAAS to a debate about western science. I would love to see such a debate take place, but I doubt that it will. There must be some common ground, some shared assumptions, before a debate can take place. As a member of the SLAAS, I do not think that the SLAAS accepts that there is such a thing as “western” science, as opposed to any other kind. Also, millions of people in the country, including many scientists, do not even believe in the god Natha. Perhaps they may be forgiven for wondering what those who claim to be in communication with Natha are drinking or inhaling!
Prof. de Silva is well known to espouse views that the SLAAS has diplomatically been characterised as “eccentric.” There are many people like that, though not all are Deans of Science. They play a certain role in society, as a source of public entertainment. However, society needs to be wary when they are in a position to influence public policy. As the leader of a research group that includes Prof. Paranagama, Nalin de Silva is in just such a position.
Unlike Prof. de Silva, Prof. Paranagama has the credentials of a serious experimental scientist. I was therefore deeply disappointed to read about her defence of the use of “divine intervention” in science, by reference to purely private and personal actions like invoking blessings of gods upon the purchase of a new car or building a new house. People are entitled to be as superstitious as they please in their private lives. Science, especially science that may influence public policy, is another matter.
Science works! That is why it is widely accepted. Both its success and its acceptance are due to certain basic features, two of which are objectivity and reproducibility. This means that a scientist must approach a problem in an unbiased manner, and whatever results he or she achieves, another scientist must be able to reproduce, or else those results are worthless. A scientist who claims guidance by a god, in whom she presumably has faith, is unlikely to be objective even when using scientific methodology, since there would be a probable bias towards confirming the god’s predictions. Indeed, this has happened. A scientist who boasts of divine inspiration (as opposed to, say, a dream), even if merely as the source of an idea, must be aware that other scientists and members of the public, who may not share her belief in that particular god, will view her results with suspicion. This too appears to have happened. While not invalidating her results, it does increase her burden of proof. Finally, a scientist’s results must be reproducible by others. So far, Prof. Paranagama’s results have yet to be confirmed by accredited laboratories, such as the Industrial Technology Institute. Taken together, all of this not only casts doubt on the conclusions proclaimed by her, but may permanently tarnish her reputation as a credible scientist.
Prof. Paranagama expresses surprise at being ridiculed for seeking “divine intervention” in support of her research. She should have expected nothing less. Not only scientists, but even members of the Sri Lankan public, who are in general quite religious, understand that science and the supernatural do not mix.
Most members of the public will probably be uninterested in this arcane discussion of what science is and how it should be done. They naturally want answers. I cannot give them answers. I can only comment on how the answers given to them have been obtained, and how much confidence I have in them, as a scientist so, as far as arsenic is concerned, let me stick my neck out and say that I have confidence in the answers provided by the accredited laboratory at the Industrial Technology Institute. Those are very likely the best answers available in Sri Lanka.
Dr. R.D. Guneratne
University of Colombo
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