Steve, Craig, Patrick and I all went to hear Dr. Temple Grandin give a talk about animal handling yesterday. In case you have not heard of Dr. Grandin despite her television appearances, articles, and the HBO movie about her life—Dr. Grandin is the scientist who revolutionized the livestock handling field through her unique insights into the animal mind.
Even though we have already read her books, we were all blown away by her talk. I was especially intrigued by her rant against what she calls “abstractification” of regulations. Her work really is all about concrete and practical solutions to problems. Very inspiring.
Whenever people say they do not trust science, they seem to mean oversimplified science, the kind that removes cattle from pastures and substitutes (inadequate) “FEED” for nature, and dark stalls for roaming space. Ecology is also a science that deals with interactive living beings and their relationships to inanimate objects, such as corporate CEOs (LOL).