Aliens Cause Global Warming

Caltech Michelin Lecture ^ | January 17, 2003 | Michael Crichton

[Dan Evans]

My topic today sounds humorous but unfortunately I am serious. I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming. Or to speak more precisely, I will argue that a belief in extraterrestrials has paved the way, in a progression of steps, to a belief in global warming. Charting this progression of belief will be my task today.

[Dan Evans]

"Let's think back to people in 1900 in, say, New York. If they worried about people in 2000, what would they worry about? Probably: Where would people get enough horses? And what would they do about all the horseshit?"

As it turns out, the EPA is full of it, the New York Times prints it, and Steve Milloy maintains a daily chronicle.

[dirtboy]

I am going to argue that extraterrestrials lie behind global warming.

Yeah, Crichton, one extra-terrestrial in particular is responsible for global warming and cooling:

Like we need you to tell us that.

[laotzu]

I have always gotten the distinct impression, from environmental extremists, that the only unnatural thing on this planet was man. Everything seems to add a positive component to the world, except man. We just don't fit in.

By logical extension; man, therefore, must have been dropped here from another planet (being so primitive & malevolent, we certainly did not bring ourselves).

I see this as a third alternative, after Creationism, and evolution.

I call it the Mother Ship theory.

[Sloth]

OUTSTANDING article. Well worth the lengthy read.

[Gorjus]

This is an outstanding article.

Which will never be read by those who really need to read it. If you shoved it in front of their eyes, they'd screw them shut like a priest looking at porn.

Truly, global warming IS a religion.

[Sloth]

Crichton for President!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

WOW! Wish I'd said that. Best thing I've read in weeks.

Scientific American really lost it in their review of "The Bell Curve." I read the book, and it had absolutely no relationship to the book SA reviewed. (The author did well to avoid the whole Bell Curve controversy, though it is one more example of his hypothesis.)

[UCANSEE2]

Reality is only consensual agreement.

What we believe is what is real.

[11B3]

Excellent article - thanks for posting! Bookmarked.

[RightWhale]

What we believe is what is real.

As separate individuals, we can hold two contradictory beliefs at once. I, one and you, another. Which is real?

[cinFLA]

This is real series! Can you please provide the condensed version?

[RightWhale]

Crichton for President!

I'll second that!

[Restorer]

Excellent article!

One caveat, though.

In contrast, science held different values-international in scope, forging friendships and working relationships across national boundaries and political systems, encouraging a dispassionate habit of thought, and ultimately leading to fresh knowledge and technology that would benefit all mankind.

By definition, science has no values other than the pursuit of truth. The author decries the politicization of science, but here he is saying that "real science" holds what are indisputably political values. Perhaps most scientists hold these values, and I even personally agree with most of them. But that doesn't make them scientific.

Science, like pure capitalism, has no values. Both are merely efficient methods of achieving certain goals. Those goals can be good or evil.

A scientist who vehemently disagreed with all these values could still do perfectly valid scientific research. It's not politically correct to bring it up, but some of the experiments done by the Nazis on humans had significant scientific value.

[Ancesthntr]

This article should be required reading for all members of Congress - each month. Science has an enormous impact on our lives, and has huge potential to radically change things for better or worse within a generation or two. We MUST have scientists acting like scientists, not partisan politicians.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Madame Dufarge]

Bump.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Fledermaus]

I call it the Mother Ship theory.

So does Louis Farakkhan! lol

[metesky]

Excellent read. Michael Crichton deconstructs the hot air blowing from the "scientific community".

[BossLady]

Zing!