Platoist-like

BBC News: The government is set to produce guidelines to ensure the independence of its scientific advisers, Science Minister Lord Drayson has said.

... A statement from the academics was sent to government officials and ministers, and calls for them to back their academic freedom and independence and to properly consider their advice.

In a statement to MPs, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said the reason for sacking Prof Nutt was not the work of the council, but because of "his failure to recognise that... his role is to advise rather than criticise".

Can't help but agree with Johnson here. If we let academics have their way, then we will be moving dangerously close to a Platoist-like rule of 'experts'.

As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong) Nutt offered advice, HMG didn't take it, Nutt threw toys out of pram. Not by publishing figures which showed (I leave methodology etc out of it*) that cannabis was less dangerous than alcohol/fags, something which is quite possible, but by explicitly saying the decision was wrong. At which point you can see why Alan Johnson lost patience with him. How can you ask someone for advice if the deal is that you HAVE to accept it or the adviser will go public on his disgreements ? At that point you may as well hand over policy to the adviser and democracy goes out of the window.

Let's be clear here about the nature of the debate. Some are trying to turn this into an issue of freedom of speech. That, it ain't. If I had an employee who was going out and slagging off the way I ran the business, I'd be having words.