Whose Final Hour?

From: Skeptic | Date: January 1, 2006| Author: | Copyright information

The problem of Naive Egocentric Catastrophism in doomsayers and catastrophists

IN A SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE AWASH IN catastrophic doomsday scenarios, I would like to introduce a concept that I call naive egocentric catastrophism (NEC).1 The most egregious example of NEC is given by England's Astronomer Royal Martin Rees in his book Our Final Hour, succinctly described in the long subtitle: How Terror, Error, and Environmental Disaster Threaten Humankind's Future in This Century-On Earth and Beyond.2 Preaching the end of the world is a venerable occupation, and there is certainly no reason why ...

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