The major population growth in the world is in the third world, particularly Africa and the Islamic world. I am surprised Pianka hasn't been called a racist.
Pianka could have prevented being misquoted simply by permitting taping. It seems as if this was the usual thing for a lecture of this type. I am really stunned that the Panda's Thumb crowd thinks that science and scientists should not be subject to scrutiny. And given Pianka's record on these subjects, it's really not hard to believe he'd say what Mims said he did. He's clearly a provocateur and says things for effect.
There was an interesting quote attributed to Pianka by the newspaper's pulled article. It was a quote from a previous speech where he said something like: "This will happen in your lifetimes." They didn't attribute the source of the quote to anyone, so I'm assuming it's genuine. That's crazy stuff. How can any scientist defend that? The problem isn't that he's a guy with a stupid opinion, it's that he uses his credentials to promote the most nonscientific of his theories.
But he hopes to do what Singer does. If he makes insane demands and ridiculous predictions, then he won't get all that he wants, but fear will steer the battleship in the direction he wants.
So you're telling me it's a scientist's responsibility to insure himself against the likelihood fundamentalist Christians will lie about him. I'm inclined to agree it's wise move.
The major population growth in the world is in the third world, particularly Africa and the Islamic world. I am surprised Pianka hasn't been called a racist.
The biodiversity of Europe and North America was seriously reduced millenia ago. That of South America, Africa and South East Asia is still high, but it's rapidly being reduced. But indeed, it is surprising they haven't pilloried him for this; it probably because scientists mostly aren't as leftist as humanities types
They didn't attribute the source of the quote to anyone, so I'm assuming it's genuine. That's crazy stuff. How can any scientist defend that? The problem isn't that he's a guy with a stupid opinion, it's that he uses his credentials to promote the most nonscientific of his theories.
I don't agree with it, but it's not crazy. High population density causes epidemics. Entirely sane European and American governments have been stockpiling Tamiflu against the expectation of a major flu pandemic (and one reasonably sane scientist has made a killing on Gilead Scientific in the last year, not to brag or anything). Yes, Ehrlich and the Meadows cried wolf, but they may simply have been premature. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a major plague in Africa and South East Asia in the next 30 years.
But he hopes to do what Singer does.
Let's not start with Singer again.