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Going Somewhere: Truth about a Life in Science
Going Somewhere is a dynamic autobiographical narrative about Andrew Marino's career in science. With a depth and drama that arise from personal involvement, the book explores an exceptionally wide range of science-related matters: the relation between electrical energy and life; the influence of corporate and military power on science; the role of self-interest on the part of federal and state agencies that deal with human health, especially the NIH and the FDA; the importance of cross-examining scientific experts in legal hearings; the erroneous view of nature that results when the perspective of physics is extended into biology; the pivotal role of deterministic chaos theory in at least some cognitive processes. These matters arise in the long course of the author's scientific and legal activities involving the complex debate over the health risks of man-made environmental electromagnetic fields. The book offers far more than a solution to the contentious health issue. The story provides a portal into how science actually works, which you will see differs dramatically from the romantic notion of an objective search for truth. You will understand that science is a human enterprise, all too human, inescapably enmeshed in uncertainty. This realization has the potential to change your life because it will likely affect whom you choose to believe, and with what degree of confidence.
462 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2011
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June 10, 2020I came to the book through the recommendation of Jack Kruse.
This is an account of many human themes; EMF is not necessarily the most significant topic. Marino details patterns he has observed, which one can reasonably expect to encounter in many different life situations. EMF is the topic here, but the patterns are not all EMF, they are human ones. They are patterns of behaviour at both the individual and organisational level.
"... In matters involving the biosphere, however, I had learned to think like Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. God had told him that there were no universal governing equations for life, but that each living thing followed its own law. Newton wasn't wrong, but there were some things he dn't know. The most important thing he missed was life. Dr. Becker and Szent-Gyorgyi, the two greatest men I ever personally knew, also missed it. They spent their lives looking for answers at the level of electrons, which they presumed were governed as in Newton's world view. But their grandest dreams were incapable of fulfillment because they set their sights too low. Life didn't exist down where they aimed, but rather was an emergent property of an organized unitary organism whose behavior was governed by its own law. They hadn't understood what they were studying. They weren't alone. Everyone since Goethe had failed to understand life, so they hadn't designed their experiments properly. Instead, they had followed Boltzmann."
Money, a constant presence. From the relatively small sums of money required for an individual to do their research, or the larger sums committed to a research body, squandered and squirrelled by administrators, to the financial commitments of big corporations and the liabilities of state-affiliated groups.
Ego. Prepare to encounter lots of people whose actions are driven by not by the greater good, but by their individual egotism. I like how Marino explores the motivations of all the people he describes in his book.
Reputation. Sometimes you will read something that leaves you feeling rather fragile. Some commentaries will lay out the reality of a situation, attributes of which will be shared with your own, in such a way that you could hardly fail to be persuaded of its legitimacy. In chapter 14 we meet a man by the name of Zaret, and to Marino's account, he is diligent and honest. For much of his career, he toes the line, with some misgivings, I infer. At some stage, his conscience demands a decision. Conscience is the enemy of ego. Following your conscience can lead to your ruin, or the ruin of your ego I should say. Most people will lament the destruction of your fortune, few will celebrate the raising of your soul. They will ask "what have you got to show for it?"
Honor. One of the most striking themes in this book for me was honor. At times, I found myself soul searching in response to something I had read here. I think it is fair to say, there will always come a time when a person is confronted with a decision between honor and dishonor, on however small or large a scale.
There is a remarkably abhorrent account on pages 146-147: "Science always has been the special advantage of the best men and weaklings who cannot stand up for themselves must accept their fate. The weak invent rules to prevent the strong from dominating them and to try to shame the strong by saying dominating others is unjust. That's why you call the advantage Starr enjoys over the mass of people an 'injustice.' However, nature says that the stronger should have the advantage over the weaker, and the more able over the less."
Continuing in response to a question about weighing maximising profits against the rights of the public to their health:
"He is doing as he pleases and getting what he wants, which is what it means to be happy. How could anybody be happy when he must do what others tell him to do, rather than what he himself wants to do? Anyone in his right mind spends his life going after what he wants. Those who have the courage and intelligence are able to get what they want. Those who fail to conceal their impotence by claiming that wanting greater profits if shameful. It is their own cowardice that leads them to praise justice, which is no more than an impediment to those with natural gifts and talented that enable them to accomplish great things. One ought to have strong desires, and then proceed to gratify them."
I have reservations about the accuracy of the quote, I would need more information to accept it as a true utterance. However, assuming the validity is there, I find it both utterly contemptible and true. Honor doesn't pay. Honor can, quite frankly, lead you from a comfortable, respectable, affluent life, to poverty and even untimely death with tremendous ease. To combine honor with bravery is a rare achievement. It is difficult for anyone to follow these footsteps, or trail, to discover such occurrences, and individuals. Such actions fly with the wind, unassuming and following their natural path. Honor and bravery won't get you a statue. Honor and bravery will most likely have you branded as dishonorable and cowardly. Dishonor and cowardice will most likely have you branded as honourable and brave.
The writing style is exceptional at times. Andrew Marino has a talent for wordcraft. "My contempt for him grew. I was like a log on a fire covered with ashes on the outside but glowing cherry red inside."
Quotes:
"After I understood why the Masters behaved as they did, I felt strangely at peace, even though I thought their morality was scandalously egoistic. My prospects for converting them to my view of EMF's looked hopeless, but still I felt fine. Whether or not their will ultimately prevailed wasn't my problem. I was doing exactly what I thought I ought to do. I was still in control of my own life."
"If someone is balanced and rational, then frenzied attacks in public are only moderately troublesome. If not, then it is hard to deal with any form of criticism. My notoriety is not a cause of pain because my decision was just."
This is an account of many human themes; EMF is not necessarily the most significant topic. Marino details patterns he has observed, which one can reasonably expect to encounter in many different life situations. EMF is the topic here, but the patterns are not all EMF, they are human ones. They are patterns of behaviour at both the individual and organisational level.
"... In matters involving the biosphere, however, I had learned to think like Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. God had told him that there were no universal governing equations for life, but that each living thing followed its own law. Newton wasn't wrong, but there were some things he dn't know. The most important thing he missed was life. Dr. Becker and Szent-Gyorgyi, the two greatest men I ever personally knew, also missed it. They spent their lives looking for answers at the level of electrons, which they presumed were governed as in Newton's world view. But their grandest dreams were incapable of fulfillment because they set their sights too low. Life didn't exist down where they aimed, but rather was an emergent property of an organized unitary organism whose behavior was governed by its own law. They hadn't understood what they were studying. They weren't alone. Everyone since Goethe had failed to understand life, so they hadn't designed their experiments properly. Instead, they had followed Boltzmann."
Money, a constant presence. From the relatively small sums of money required for an individual to do their research, or the larger sums committed to a research body, squandered and squirrelled by administrators, to the financial commitments of big corporations and the liabilities of state-affiliated groups.
Ego. Prepare to encounter lots of people whose actions are driven by not by the greater good, but by their individual egotism. I like how Marino explores the motivations of all the people he describes in his book.
Reputation. Sometimes you will read something that leaves you feeling rather fragile. Some commentaries will lay out the reality of a situation, attributes of which will be shared with your own, in such a way that you could hardly fail to be persuaded of its legitimacy. In chapter 14 we meet a man by the name of Zaret, and to Marino's account, he is diligent and honest. For much of his career, he toes the line, with some misgivings, I infer. At some stage, his conscience demands a decision. Conscience is the enemy of ego. Following your conscience can lead to your ruin, or the ruin of your ego I should say. Most people will lament the destruction of your fortune, few will celebrate the raising of your soul. They will ask "what have you got to show for it?"
Honor. One of the most striking themes in this book for me was honor. At times, I found myself soul searching in response to something I had read here. I think it is fair to say, there will always come a time when a person is confronted with a decision between honor and dishonor, on however small or large a scale.
There is a remarkably abhorrent account on pages 146-147: "Science always has been the special advantage of the best men and weaklings who cannot stand up for themselves must accept their fate. The weak invent rules to prevent the strong from dominating them and to try to shame the strong by saying dominating others is unjust. That's why you call the advantage Starr enjoys over the mass of people an 'injustice.' However, nature says that the stronger should have the advantage over the weaker, and the more able over the less."
Continuing in response to a question about weighing maximising profits against the rights of the public to their health:
"He is doing as he pleases and getting what he wants, which is what it means to be happy. How could anybody be happy when he must do what others tell him to do, rather than what he himself wants to do? Anyone in his right mind spends his life going after what he wants. Those who have the courage and intelligence are able to get what they want. Those who fail to conceal their impotence by claiming that wanting greater profits if shameful. It is their own cowardice that leads them to praise justice, which is no more than an impediment to those with natural gifts and talented that enable them to accomplish great things. One ought to have strong desires, and then proceed to gratify them."
I have reservations about the accuracy of the quote, I would need more information to accept it as a true utterance. However, assuming the validity is there, I find it both utterly contemptible and true. Honor doesn't pay. Honor can, quite frankly, lead you from a comfortable, respectable, affluent life, to poverty and even untimely death with tremendous ease. To combine honor with bravery is a rare achievement. It is difficult for anyone to follow these footsteps, or trail, to discover such occurrences, and individuals. Such actions fly with the wind, unassuming and following their natural path. Honor and bravery won't get you a statue. Honor and bravery will most likely have you branded as dishonorable and cowardly. Dishonor and cowardice will most likely have you branded as honourable and brave.
The writing style is exceptional at times. Andrew Marino has a talent for wordcraft. "My contempt for him grew. I was like a log on a fire covered with ashes on the outside but glowing cherry red inside."
Quotes:
"After I understood why the Masters behaved as they did, I felt strangely at peace, even though I thought their morality was scandalously egoistic. My prospects for converting them to my view of EMF's looked hopeless, but still I felt fine. Whether or not their will ultimately prevailed wasn't my problem. I was doing exactly what I thought I ought to do. I was still in control of my own life."
"If someone is balanced and rational, then frenzied attacks in public are only moderately troublesome. If not, then it is hard to deal with any form of criticism. My notoriety is not a cause of pain because my decision was just."
October 28, 2019
An excellent story about a EMF and the effect on biology. The history of a scientists fight for human rights.
August 29, 2023
amazingly insightful book
I learned so much about how science is done and also about the impacts of EMFs. The values and ethics shown by Marino are profound and had a great positive impact on me.
I learned so much about how science is done and also about the impacts of EMFs. The values and ethics shown by Marino are profound and had a great positive impact on me.
May 31, 2024
A great book by a life long scientist and truth teller. Its a new one on me that science and law are related by the arguments/opinions held by the recipients of same. And it tells me why so much of main stream science today is unconvincing to me.
February 2, 2018
Fascinating info about corruption in the field of scientific research, especially in relation to the dangers of EMFs. Bit of slog to read on the sentence level, though.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews