AARON WILDAVSKY

 

June 14 1978

Professor Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics
School of Medicine
Stanford University
Stanford
California 94305

Dear Joshua,

There is a rational answer and a historical one, As usual the
truth is historical. I came to health policy unburdened by any prior
acquaintance, I had been asked to explain the increase in medical costs
hut I soon concluded this was well known. Indeed, the medical literature
was, unlike any I had read tn social science in that there was a mountain of
splendid material. Coming to grips with thts material, somehow simplifying
jt, I discovered was a major roadblock to thinking, So I made it my task
not to tnyent anything new, but to make what was already known simpler and
more yiyid, Soon I realized that if I took notes IT would end up using them
and that this would run directly counter to my purpose, I did not want to
produce a rambling book. In a word I took no notes and wrote the enclosed
paper, I did read a variety of material that included various estimates and
made my own judaement, It could have been 20%. ar 30%, but it would not have
been higher by any authority I consulted, only, alas, I cannot remember which.
No doubt many have wondered, but you are the first to ask,

Sincerely,

Aaron Wildavsky Ln

Enc.
From May Ist to Avgust 31, 1978

Aaron Wildavsky can be reached at

Room 464
230 Park Avenue
New York, N.Y. 1OO17
(212) ¢49-8195,8196

 

or (indefinitely) at home

227 Clinton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
{212) 625-5312