a \ 205 Ridge Road
- AS Hamden, Ct. 06517
he eo mo Tel.: (203) 248-4865
oe January 17, 1979

Dr. Joshua Lederberg

Office of the President
Rockefeller University

60th Street and York Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10021

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

Presently I am compiling a book consisting of a series of interviews with
scientists in Europe and America. These interviews will focus on the impact
of science on society. This book will be published by William Morrow & Co. (New
York), and will be directed primarily to the generel public, but will be equally
of interest to scientists and science students.

The purpose if this letter is to ask whether you would be willing to grant
me an interview. I propose to discuss the following subjects with you: a) the
relationship between science and society; b) science and politics; c) the
responsibility of the scientist towards society; 4d) ethical problems in science;
e) scientific freedom; f) criticism of science; g) the future of society, as
related to the development of science and technology.

As for the practical side of the interview, the conversation, held at your
convenience, will be taped and then transcribed. The transcript will be edited
and submitted to you for your approval. You will also have the opportimity to
make changes and corrections on this transcript.

a

To introduce myself, I am a science writer with a special interest in the
relationship between science and society. I studied astronomy at the University
of Utrecht in Holland, and was the science editor for the Dutch Oosthoek Fncy-
clopedie. In the United States I was a senior editor for the physical sciences
with the Arete Publishing Company in Princeton, New Jersey.

Enclosed is a list of scientists I have interviewed so fer. I will phone SS
you sometime next week.

a Sincerely yours,

   

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