Science, Sense, and Elephense

Where the perils that threaten

Prevail and surround-

It’s not in small parts

That solutions are found (1).

There can be cause to love reduction

But I see the menace in its seduction (2).

In saying so,

I intend no provocation

Of this worthy congregation-

I just have this predilection

For review, and redirection.

And my fervor lies in finding means

To answer the right question;

Not in seeking foot of emperor

To practice genuflection.

So while I, too, profess compliance-

In the company of giants -

With the tried and true of science-

I allow for some defiance:

Skiers race

An avalanche, a flight

That’s make or break;

Would it count as

Defiance to say

There’s no science

To indict a particular flake?

A river swells to

Cresting; its banks devolve

To mud. There’s no science

To say that no science

Can say which sandbag

Stops the flood.

When with steadfast equanimity

We have parsed all plausibility

When to our telomeres we’re diced

And from their bits, genomes respliced-

We may agree it is terrific

To be robustly scientific-

But lest we’re muddled in denial

We must concede the best-run trial-

Though potentially inspired

Is still in tribulations mired.

For while to build a better sandbag,

We might design a RCT;

That we’re wet and need a levee,

Is on display for all to see.

We need science for microscopes

We need science for telescopes

But let’s acknowledge, my friends

That the view decides the lens.

And while perceiving complications

May be something like reflex

A job may be hard instead of easy,

Yet sill be simple, not complex.

In this mad view, there’s method,

Whatever you may think-

For while it’s true, I do see elephants- they’re only

Very rarely pink.

Through the trees to the forest,

We must all strive to perceive

When we do, we can’t tarry-

We get no reprieve

We’ll have miles to go, to get out

Of the wood

And turn WHAT we all know,

Into HOW to do good.

With utensils in hand

To carve up the beast…

We might pause to consider:

On what parts we feast?

Trees and forest;

View and lens-

Knowledge and power

Science and sense:

Which road

We ought to choose

At the fork twixt

Win, or lose-

Could just come down

To views; and seeing

Past parts…

To whole elephense!

My friends, in this verse

It’s my intention to make

The case for good invention -

For where there’s a will

There’s a way to be paved

So the health of our families

Can be righted, and saved;

And I am confident we can

All escape our doom if we’d

Just see the elephant -or

Possibly the polar bear- here

In the room.

-fin

1) If we want to get out of the woods, we have to see the forest through the trees.

2) If my foot were to catch on fire, I would not need data from a randomized controlled trial to fetch a pail of water.

Dr. Katz was recently named one of the most influential people in Health and Fitness (#13) by Greatist.com. His new book, DISEASE PROOF, is available in bookstores nationwide and at:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Penguin

Dr. David L. Katz; www.davidkatzmd.com
www.turnthetidefoundation.org

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-David-L-Katz/114690721876253
https://twitter.com/DrDavidKatz
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pub/david-l-katz-md-mph/7/866/479/