Proposal
for a TV Programme
|
Sir Michael Pepper Pepper FRS Ivor Catt, email ivorcatt@electromagnetism.demon.co.uk website www.electromagnetism.demon.co.uk/ 12apr99.
[This copy printed 15apr99] Second copy sent 29feb00 Community Programme Unit, P O Box 5045 London W12 7TS Dear Sir/Madam, Proposal for a
programme. Power versus Scholarship
in Cambridge Power. A recent
Sunday Times magazine section article discussed the way the old Establishment
still controlled society. Of the four or five seats of political and social
power cited, the Master of Trinity was one. The theme was repeated in a Ch4
programme at 7.30pm on Sunday 11apr99, probably by the same journalist. Scholarship. I gained a
State Scholarship from a comprehensive school (the first, Holyhead), and then
studied Engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge. In due course, after 20
years in R&D in Britain and the U.S.A., I made major advances in
electromagnetic theory. After running into trouble with the appropriate
Learned Society, the I.E.E., they however finally published a seminal article
on my discoveries in "History of Electrical Engineering" HEE/26,
10july98 entitled "A difficulty in electromagnetic theory", see my
website. I had also written to the Master of my alma mater, Trinity College
Cambridge, which boasts that it is the most scientific college, Newton's, and
repeatedly tells me that it wants money from me to maintain its position of
scientific primacy [However, see Footnote added 16apr99.]. I protested in
writing to the then Master, Atiyah, (then President of the Royal Society), who I later
discovered should have had expertise in electromagnetic theory. Never
replying to me for a period of five years, he did initially instruct his main
expert on the subject, Pepper FRS, to comment. Pepper made a fool of himself,
showing technical incompetence. You can read his response on my website in my
book "The Catt Anomaly" The basic
problem, the subject of the proposed Ch4 programme, is that the political
power of Trinity, which Trinity prizes above all else, is incompatible with
admitting failure of competence in a primary area of science, electromagnetic
theory. Thus, Trinity (and Cambridge University) resorts more and more to
covering up its Achilles Heel; the fact that it does not command scientific
advance. The desire for political power and influence makes Trinity unable to
communicate on scientific advance if there is a risk that outsiders (as I,
although a graduate of the college and periodically dining at Trinity High
Table, have become,) have gained an advance on the home grown and nurtured
Fellow of Trinity, for instance Pepper FRS. Trinity has to decide whether it
is a seat of power, or a seat of learning. It is clear that it cannot be
both. The
problem extends beyond Trinity. When Broers was
scheduled to become Vice Chancellor of the whole University of Cambridge, and
was already Master of Churchill College, allegedly the other major scientific
college in Cambridge, I wrote to him about the problem of Trinity and also
the University Engineering Department (which both Broers
and I attended) falling behind in primary science, of which my advances were
an example. He also put power above science. He has never, over a number of
years, responded to me in any way. The
present Master of Trinity, Sen, is an economist, so
has purely administrative responsibility in this matter. He also has
defaulted; failing to instruct his chief experts, Pepper et al., to keep up
with the art of electromagnetic theory and to communicate with me and with McEwan, Reader in Electromagnetism, whose response to the
Catt Anomaly contradicts that of Pepper. Howie FRS, Head
of the Cavendish, should have been instructed by Broers
to keep up with electromagnetic theory when Broers
was Master of Churchill and Howie was one of his
most senior staff there. Howie, like the rest of
these charlatans, keeps his head down. Howie, Head of
the Cavendish, should have instructed Pepper FRS, a member of his staff, to
resolve the contradiction between Pepper's view of the Catt Anomaly and that
of McEwan Reader in Electromagnetism. [15apr99. Howie happens to agree with McEwan,
from another university, but will not admit to us or to Pepper, who works for
him, that he and Pepper disagree on basic fundamentals.] It is intolerable
that these guys continue to draw salary and reputation while leaving their
scientific fences unmended and decaying. Luca
Turin, a biophysics lecturer in UCL, has much skill in electromagnetic
theory. You can cross check with him as to the veracity of what I am writing,
and as to the viability of a TV programme on the clash between power and
scholarship in Trinity Cambridge and also in the whole of Cambridge
University, as demonstrated by the irresponsible behaviour by the then Master
of Trinity and by the new Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University. There was
a prime time Horizon programme of one hour on Luca's new theory on the sense
of smell in humans - the technical mechanisms involved in smell. So he is
familiar with the TV medium. You can also check with my co-author Dr. D S Walton. I can give numerous other expert sources who will comment. Yours sincerely, Ivor Catt cc Master of Trinity; cc Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University; cc Howie FRS; cc Pepper FRS. __________ Footnote added 16apr99. From the TV programme on power in
England. Ch4 programme at
7.30pm on Sunday 11apr99 "The Establishment" with Nick Danziger Trinity, One of the most successful and enduring
pillars of the Establishment. "The Masters of Trinity, one
of the most prestigious academic positions. "Trinity is the largest,
richest and most powerful college in Oxbridge. It is the role of the Master
to keep the college running smoothly, but also to maintain its status and
position in the world." Interviewer; "…. A little
change is good. No change is better." Atiyah, Master; "Yes. Colleges like this are
essentially conservative institutions. When I was a young man I was very
enthusiastic for rapid change. I still am to some extent. But if you make
very rapid change you make mistakes. Institutions have a lot of built in
resistance to change. …. …. …. A network of contacts ….". ____________ 16apr99 Dear Ivor Thanks for the email - it was interesting
to read your idea. I will place your details on our database which is
regularly reviewed by our production team - someone will be in touch if we
wish to follow up your idea. Regards Julian Jones BBC |
|
|
Later developments. Analysis State
of Play Political Analysis Letter to the Editor, Electronics World, published August 2004, p57; @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ A practical illustration of the problem is here . Loss of intellectual control forces the Great and the Good downmarket, where their problems may multiply. Ivor Catt 12 December 2012 |
|