[AJames]

Originally Posted by mlcolbert

The session which decided this was held on a Friday...after 9400 of the delegates left for home, of the 600 remaining 400 voted for the demotion of Pluto as a planet. This is politics, pure and simple. Not science. I reject it as such. I understand that the IAU will in the next session around 2009 make a final decision. Whatever it may be, it is my opinion that the entire affair has damaged science in the sense of objectivity etc.

Michael

While I respect your point of view, this seems to me that your reasoning is completely wrong. Politics has nothing to do with it. The choice of Pluto as a planet or not was discussed in detail by the IAU and the Commission for Nomenclature for many years before the decision on 13th December 2006.
The problem was the discovery of the Eris and other bodies beyond the Pluto's orbit, which challenged the view of whether these were planets or part of another class of object. The IAU were really caught between a rock and a hard place, and decided that planets, once defined as just large spheroidal bodies, was inadequate. In fact, no one actually said that Pluto wasn't a planet, because it was based on the adoption of the IAU Resolutions 5A and 6 (2006) (You can read these at; http://homepage.mac.com/andjames/PageDPlanets000.htm )
If we were to put Pluto as a planet again, it would make Eris - which is now know as bigger then Pluto - a planet as well.

I humbly do completely respect the IAU decision, because is solved the problem.

However, I agree these rules are not absolute. Like most categories of astronomical classes of objects, they are all subject to change due to increased knowledge or discovery or understanding.
My view is the IAU is at least democratic - something they pride themselves on - and to suggest they are autocratic smacks of pure desperation - seemingly because, for what ever the reason, you don't agree.

In the end, whether Pluto is a planet or not doesn't change that it is an object in the Solar System.

Perhaps instead of griping about the problems regarding education of children, you should use the opportunity to explain the dilemma and why - learning more about the complexities of Solar System

Instead, as I read here, you are turning them all into something more akin to revolutionaries. Ie. Challenging every decision ever created by legitimate authorities. Where's the respect here?
IMO since the beginnings of the formation of the IAU in the 1920's, they have restored order in the universe for the unmitigated chaos of the nomenclature. Next will we be disagreeing whether some constellation or other should be removed or added from the pantheon of the 88 that are recognised today.
Sorry. I support the full independence of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), 100%. To suggest otherwise is tantamount to extreme zealotry.

Andrew