[extropy-chat] Meeting Doctor Doom

[Neil H.]

On 4/3/06, spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Joseph Bloch
> > Subject: [extropy-chat] Meeting Doctor Doom
> >
> > http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html
> >
> > Apparently, Dr. Pianka advocates the elimination of 90% of the Earth's
> > human population because we are overtaxing the planet's natural
> resources.
>
> Joseph, I do not believe the site is correct because of the
> following comment:
>
> "But there was a gravely disturbing side to that otherwise scientifically
> significant meeting, for I watched in amazement as a few hundred members
> of
> the Texas Academy of Science rose to their feet and gave a standing
> ovation
> to a speech that enthusiastically advocated the elimination of 90 percent
> of
> Earth's population by airborne Ebola."
>
>
> I confidently state that a few hundred members of the TAS would not
> encourage such a horrifying notion.  I am not defending Pianka, but
> something is amiss here.



This part of the wikipedia article on Pianka may be of interest:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Pianka

"It is alleged by Forrest Mims
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Mims>that, while accepting the
Texas Academy of Sciences Distinguished Scientist
of the Year award in 2006, Pianka "endorsed the elimination of 90 percent of
the human population" through a disease such as an airborne strain of the ebola
virus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus>.[1]<http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html>Pianka
claims that Mims misunderstood his argument; however, Mims'
characterization of the lecture seems to have been confirmed by a supporter
of Pianka.[2] <http://brenmccnnll.blogspot.com/2006/03/dr.html>"


Plus, it seems that it would be rather peculiar for somebody receiving a
"Distinguished Scientist of the Year" award from a scientific organization
to -not- get a standing ovation after their acceptance speech, even if part
of that speech was disagreeable.

-- Neil
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