Q&A: Attitude Toward Radiation
Attitude Toward Radiation
Question
The question breaks into two parts:
A] What is the Rabbi’s opinion about cellphone radiation? Is there really something to it?
I read an article by Nadav Shnerb that makes fun of the whole story. On the other hand, I saw people attacking him in return here.
http://forum.otzar.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=11856&hilit=%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%94+%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%91
B] If there really is something to it, does the Torah address this? From the standpoint of “and you shall guard yourselves”?
Answer
I haven’t looked into it, but at first glance the arguments that it’s dangerous seem dubious to me (it looks like green hysteria). But I haven’t examined it in depth, so this is just an impression and not something well-founded.
The question is factual: is it dangerous or not, and to what extent. The Torah has nothing to say about scientific-factual questions. If it is dangerous, then of course it’s advisable to be careful, and for that too you don’t really need the Torah. a0
Discussion on Answer
I didn’t understand the connection between the two parts of your last comment. It’s clear from your words that you read my article on normative decision-making, where I explain that deciding about danger is made up of two layers: 1. facts. 2. judgment about them. Experts are responsible for the facts, and the normative judge is responsible for the judgment (the legislator, the Sanhedrin, you, or Meretz’s Council of Torah Sages). Even with respect to layer 1, when there is a dispute among experts you have to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty. Do you expect me to give you an algorithm for how to do that? I don’t have one. If there were such an algorithm, there wouldn’t be a dispute.
Indeed, I did read it. And thank you for your words.
What I meant to ask is this:
My view is that “value” concepts are not a matter for experts. Experts can bring me data and facts, but a concept like “danger” or “illness” does not belong to facts but to norms.
Therefore, when there is a dispute among scientists on the subject (and some say it is really extremely unhealthy, while others say the exact opposite), does the Torah require me to check for myself? To ignore it? What does one do in such a situation?