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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 |
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Later developments. Analysis State of Play Political
Analysis Letter to the Editor, Electronics World, published August 2004, p57; |
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