In a message dated 8/7/01 4:39:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
<<
He probably decided he could make more money that way. Professional
Optimists are in demand especially with corporations and big money
interests to tell them What they Want to Hear. Which IMO is simply
prostituting yourself. For sale to the highest bidder! Despicable.
Kristin
yes, I'm A CYNIC! Sometimes you have to overstate a problem to get
anybody to do anything about it! Y2K doomsayers did us a favor!
>>
This is an extra-ordinarily unfair accusation. The article in the times did
not even hint that this man had sold out. He is an optimist because of his
view of the data. Too often on this list (and in life) there is an assumption
that anyone who disagrees with a view can only be doing so because of
self-interest. We all have self-interest. The academic scientists who
disagree have their own self-interest, their careers their grants their
support from environmental groups. In the abscence of evidence of "selling
out" it is imperative that we trust the motive of individuals. Otherwise we
fall into the trap of never being willing to consider alternative
explanations of never being wrong. I have accused John of a maddening moral
absolutism but this cuts both ways.
