October 4, 1971

Mr, Emilio Ambasz

Department of Architecture and Design
The Museum of Modern Art

1l West 53rd Stree

New York, New York 10019

Dear Mr. Ambasz,

Thank you for your letter of September 28th and for the project
working paper on the Universitas Project.
1 found this full of fascinating and provokative observations and
proposals, I regret that I will not be able to take an active part in
your own program owing to other commitments some of which are along
related lines of effort,

Enclosed are a few of my own previous writings that may have some
pertinence to your aspirations,

Perhaps my main concern, which must be expressed in a context of
profound sympathy with your propositions, is that scientists have
usually been accused of too much rather than too little design - that
is of unwontedly playing God. I foresee the greatest difficultges in
establishing a politically exceptable basis for the implementation of
the wisest of proposals, Especially when intellectuals move from
analysis to implementation they face extraordinary difficulties,

As your paper already intimates the professional schools already —
provide the nearest approach to the kind of model for the interweaving
of science and design, I would recommend to you some careful thought
about the dilemmas of the schools of medicine in the present era for some
prevision of what you will also be facing.

The names of a number of people come to my mind as having something
to offer for your project and I will remind you of them knowing you have
probably already considered them, Already very directly concerned with
design are such figures ag Constantinos Doxiadis and Christopher Alexander.
But I would also remind you of Dr. Bertram Brown, Director of the National
Institute of Mental Health, During my recent service on the Rational
Advisory Mental Health Council I found that he and his colleagues had
an extraordinary interest in problems of architectural and urban design
with which I would recommend you communicate.

JQ wonagsny

‘LO

wd Ah
Mr. Emilio Ambasz -2- 10/4/71

I wish I could so readily give you the names of political
scientists who could help you in your inevitable confrontation
with reality-principle in the implementation of programs that
involve the multitude. I would be the last to decry the formulation
of utopias, some of the most idealistic of which have indeed shaped
our lives, but nothing would be more fruitless than a false definition
of the goals and processes that are actually achievable,

Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics

JL/rr