DOOMSDAY: UT professor says death is imminent

The Gazette-Enterprise (Texas) ^ | April 2, 2006 | Jamie Mobley

[adiaireton8]

AUSTIN — A University of Texas professor says the Earth would be better off with 90 percent of the human population dead.

“Every one of you who gets to survive has to bury nine,” Though his statements are admittedly bold, he’s not without abundant advocates. But what may set this revered biologist apart from other doomsday soothsayers is this: Humanity’s collapse is a notion he embraces.

Indeed, his words deal, very literally, on a life-and-death scale, yet he smiles and jokes candidly throughout the lecture. Disseminating a message many would call morbid, Pianka’s warnings are centered upon awareness rather than fear.

“This is really an exciting time,” he said Friday amid warnings of apocalypse, destruction and disease. Only minutes earlier he declared, “Death. This is what awaits us all. Death.” Reflecting on the so-called Ancient Chinese Curse, “May you live in interesting times,” he wore, surprisingly, a smile.

So what’s at the heart of Pianka’s claim?

6.5 billion humans is too many.

In his estimation, “We’ve grown fat, apathetic and miserable,” all the while leaving the planet parched.

The solution?

A 90 percent reduction.

That’s 5.8 billion lives — lives he says are turning the planet into “fat, human biomass.” He points to an 85 percent swell in the population during the last 25 years and insists civilization is on the brink of its downfall — likely at the hand of widespread disease.

“[Disease] will control the scourge of humanity,” Pianka said. “We’re looking forward to a huge collapse.”

[Alouette]

I love John Clark's solution, once they capture these wackos: He sets them free into the jungle they love, with the animals they adore...stark naked.

I prefer Michael Crichton's solution: introduce them to a tribe of hungry cannibals.

[betty boop]

So what have we ended up with? A mad scientist who wants to kill 9 out of every 10 people with the ebola virus and his fellow tax-funded peers cheering him on.

Well it seems pretty obvious that this guy is not fit to discharge the mission that tuition-paying parents and taxpayers have devolved to him; notwithstanding the fact that his entire project is funded by direct expeditures from out of these very personal pockets. And it seems that both deep-pocket sources these days want to see what their money has actually bought.

Which leads us to our next question: When will parents and taxpayers begin to object to being the "deep-pocket" prey of such antics, when once they see how little return they are actually getting on their (coerced) monies thusly commandeered and expended??? To the purpose of finally rededicating parents and the the taxpayer himself, of readjusting all to the great scheme of things as newly constucted by the latest world-revising promulgators and denizens of the latest Second Reality? Who want to enrich themselves on the death of a supplanted civilization, all the while illogically supposing that the Golden Goose they are determined to kill is yet, at the same time, ever immortal, and so will fund them forever?

These people do not even begin to understand how self-contradictory every statement that comes out of their mouths really and truly is. I mean, if you at all take such things as logic and the law of non-contradiction seriously that is. Which apparently, the people of whom we are here speaking do not. So I just think such people are simply insane, out of their minds. Logic and reason mean nothing at all to such folks. And that, to my way of thinking, is what finally makes them the enemy of humankind.

FWIW. Thank you ever so much for writing, Tribune7!

[ImaGraftedBranch]

The entire population of the earth could stand in the city of Jacksonville, Florida.

Temporarily, to be sure. There wouldn't be anyone around to take the sightseeing trip to "The world's largest sinkhole."

;)

[Fred Hayek]

Maybe off topic, maybe not. There has been serious talk about relieving UC-Berserkley of the management of Los Alamos National Laboratory and giving the contract to UT-Austin. After reading this stuff I'm not to sure about giving UT-Austin that contract. My druthers would be to give the contract to the Aggies, if it goes to an academic organization.
Yes, I now live in Minnesocold (where nothing is allowed), but still say "Gig'em Aggies!"

[P.O.E.]

I used to sidestep the sidewalk jeremiahs myself. It is scary to think how many people do get caught up in various crackpot theories.

[gleeaikin]

"A mad scientist who said he wants to kill 9 out of 10 people with the Ebola virus."

I just went back and reread the entire article. I am not sure he actually wants to kill 90% of the human race. He may be trying to shock people into becoming aware that we have some serious problems that are coming to a head.

Regarding ebola, he points out that ebola has a 90% kill rate, at least where there is poor medical care. Currently ebola can be stopped fairly easily with proper medical sanitation--rubber gloves, masks, etc. I have read a couple of books about past outbreaks. He says the big danger is that there is a form call Ebola Reston, which monkeys can spread in the air like the flu. He says that if terrorists can engineer Ebola Reston to infect humans by air transmission then we are in big trouble.

Are we really prepared to deal with such an epidemic?

[Tribune7]

It is here that some say Pianka ventures from provocative food for thought to, as Wilkins said, “very extreme material” that violate many people’s views — including his own — about the treatment of human life. While many praise Pianka’s boldness and scientific know-how, others say he crosses an ethical line in his treatment of Ebola’s viability as a killer.

In an evaluation of Pianka’s course — performed anonymously in keeping with university policy — one student offered:.

“Though I agree that conservation biology is of utmost importance to the world, I do not think that preaching that 90 percent of the human population should die of Ebola is the most effective means of encouraging conservation awareness.”.

Mims says he’s seen countless doomsday predictions come and go. But Pianka’s is different, Mims said. Pianka, he insists, exhibits genuine cause for alarm..

Mims worries fertile young minds with a thirst for knowledge may develop into enthusiastic supporters of a deadly disease, advocating the fall of humanity..

(snip)

Mims counters their ovation with the story of a Texas Lutheran University student who attended the Academy of Science lecture. Brenna McConnell, a biology senior, said she and others in the audience “had not thought seriously about overpopulation issues and a feasible solution prior to the meeting.” But though McConnell arrived at the event with little to say on the issue, she returned to Seguin with a whole new outlook. An entry to her online blog captures her initial response to what’s become a new conviction: “[Pianka is] a radical thinker, that one!” she wrote. “I mean, he’s basically advocating for the death for all but 10 percent of the current population. And at the risk of sounding just as radical, I think he’s right.”

[Jonx6]

First thing i thought of...

[Sender]

I saw this little tidbit about actress Kristin Bell in Rolling Stone and had to post it:

Pollution is something that the twenty-five-year-old takes very seriously. In the petite blonde's LA home, Ziplocs are reused, recycling is paramount, and under no circumstances is water to be left running while doing dishes, brushing teeth or shaving. The only thing that riles her as much as conservation is animal rights - which is why it's also verboten in the Bell household to kill a bug.

(snip)

Approaching a light that turns from yellow to red, Bell brakes hard and comes to an awkward stop in a crosswalk. "Great brakes!" she says, giggling. To our right is an old man who's clearly pissed to find this silent car blocking his path. Bell laughs, "What if I'd hit him? It's like, I love the environment but I really don't like old people. It's people who ruin the environment. Kill all the people, and everything is fine!" Then she smiles sheepishly and yells out the window - which is closed - "I'm sorry! It's a fuel-cell car. We're blocking the intersection, but we're not polluting!"

[redgolum]

What worries me isn't that this guy believes this, it is that one of his followers may just want to start the "final solution".

[MaestroLC]

UGH. I love watching Veronica Mars, but Kristen Bell is a 100% green extremist. Nothing like a little fame to bring out your inner kook! What is it with Hollywood, fame, and being a total kook??

[Right Wing Professor]

Just thought I'd point that out, despite the phrase's inherent oxymoronic qualities.

Second post of the thread, and already we've been able to identify two independent moronic opinions.

[SuziQ]

Sounds like he'd admire the fictional antagonists in Tom Clancy's book "Rainbow Six", or Michael Crichton's "State of Fear"

[SuziQ]

I believe you're thinking of Stephen Hawking. Yes, population numbers may in fact be reduced by some sort of natural viral means, but what this enviro-wacko in Texas is talking about is MURDERING 90% of the humans on this planet to achieve some sort of ecological Nirvana for himself and others who are considered 'worthy' stewards of the planet's resources.

[AmishDude]

A day late and a quip short, I see.

[Right Wing Professor]

A day late and a quip short, I see.

I must try harder...

I've never understood your problem with biologists. The mathematicians I know don't usually carry a chip this size on their shoulders. Did your wife run off with one, or something?

[AmishDude]

I guess it's about me now. I just object to any profession that lives on

1. overblown and unrealistic goals in order to secure grants [stem cells]
2. unending fraud and deceit to secure grants [stem cells]
3. a history of eugenics and genocide
4. a tendency to produce monsters who use their science to justify their monstrosity [Mengele, Singer, and now this guy]
5. low intellectual standards [to a math major, biology classes constitute an easy semester; to bio majors, nontrivial math classes are unthinkable]
6. low academic standards [failure is publishable].

Otherwise, it's a fine profession.

[Right Wing Professor]

I just object to any profession that lives on overblown and unrealistic goals in order to secure grants [stem cells]

M.D.s and physiologists

unending fraud and deceit to secure grants [stem cells]

See above. a history of eugenics and genocide

Genocidal biologists? Surely you jest!

a tendency to produce monsters who use their science to justify their monstrosity [Mengele, Singer, and now this guy]

Mengele was a physician. Singer is a philosopher. Got ignorance?

low intellectual standards [to a math major, biology classes constitute an easy semester; to bio majors, nontrivial math classes are unthinkable]

Our math major is 38 required credit hours. Most science majors are 70+. People take math double majors because they're easy double majors, if you're in physics or chemistry.

low academic standards [failure is publishable].

Have you ever tried to get a biology paper published? if not, what do you know?

Fortunately, I know quite a number of mathematicians, and so I can attest that the shallowness and the utter ignorance evident in your post is by no means typical of your field.

[AmishDude]

M.D.s and physiologists

Doing the work that biologists aren't willing to do. "Physiologists"? How fine a hair do you want to split?

Mengele was a physician. Singer is a philosopher.

I didn't figure you'd split hairs with Mengele, but I can't believe you don't know Singer's field. Can you find out the name of the field in which Singer has "eminence"?

Genocidal biologists? Surely you jest!

Are you aware of how the Nazis justified their "scientific" conclusions? They were fond of publishing in newspapers comparisons of the various races. Unflattering to the most un-German races, of course. All scientific, all biological, with lineups of skulls and everything. And the subject of the thread is a biologist by trade. His ecology is really just an avocation.

Find your favorite undergrad. Say that in order to round out his or her education, a course with proofs should be taken. Report back the look on the students' face.

Have you ever tried to get a biology paper published?

Actually, I managed to obliterate a question on comparability of consensus trees, but the proof technique is a little technical. It has to do with pseudorandomness in graphs. Actually, the biologicial question was quite trivial. It was necessary to generalize the question to make it interesting.

Fortunately, I know quite a number of mathematicians, and so I can attest that the shallowness and the utter ignorance evident in your post is by no means typical of your field.

Alternatively, they could be humoring you, like one would a small child.

Or a puppy.

That was over the top, but if you keep throwing 70mph fastballs, I am going to keep swinging for the fences.

[Right Wing Professor]

Doing the work that biologists aren't willing to do. "Physiologists"? How fine a hair do you want to split?

Physiologists are located in medical schools. Biology is a natural science.

Can you find out the name of the field in which Singer has "eminence"?

BWAHAHA! He's a utilitarian philosopher specializing in bioethics. Bioethics is a field of philosophy, not biology.

I'm frankly shocked you don't realize this.

Your arrogance is simply hilarious, given the astonishing fact you don't seem have the faintest clue about fields other than your own.