For the climate warriors in the audience, a quiz. Who said this?
Mankind has a record of reacting after a disaster strikes. Dams are built after floods, not before. So far in human history, disasters have not taken place on a global scale. Therefore we don’t really have a tested mechanism for dealing with global threats, such as a long-range, worldwide degradation of the environment. If we ignore the present warning signs and wait for an ecological disaster to strike, it will probably be too late.
The distinguished biologist Garrett Hardin has pointed out how very difficult it is psychologically to really believe that a disaster is impending. “How can one believe in something – particularly an unpleasant something – that has never happened before?” This must have been a terrible problem for Noah. Can’t we just hear his complacent compatriots: “Something has always happened to save us.” or “Don’t worry about the rising waters, Noah; our advanced technology will surely discover a substitute for breathing.” Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t tell us much about Noah’s psychological trials and tribulations. But if it was wisdom that enabled Noah to believe in the `never-yet-happened,’ we could use some of that wisdom now.
Hint: Not Al Gore.
Obviously s fred, but then again in the preface to the book he edited in the 1970s he said:
I am persuaded to think that any climate change is bad because of the investments and adaptations that have been made by human beings and all of the things that support human existence upon this globe. Even minor fluctuations of climate could change the distribution of fish, … upset agriculture,…and inundate costal cities…… Such changes could occur at a faster rate perhaps than human society can evolve.
Fred Singer! That’s an awesome quote. Do you have a cite? Or a copy of the article? (e-mail if you’d rather not post).
Andrew –
It’s from the epilogue to Global Effects of Environmental Pollution, the proceedings of a 1968 AAAS symposium edited by S. Fred Singer. The quote’s from Singer’s epilogue. Google books has it – interestingly, with a TeraPass ad showing up at the bottom of the page.
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