Futuríveis
terça-feira, março 22, 2005
Scientific Scaremongering
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Supervolcano is the BBC’s latest doomsday docudrama, about a supposed eruption in Yellowstone Park that leads to global catastrophe. Introduced as “a true story that hasn’t happened yet” (which sounds like what we used to call fiction), Supervolcano was watched by 7.3 million people. More than four million then turned over for the follow-up documentary about “the science behind the drama”, a remarkable eruption of public concern for a quiet Monday evening.
What is the point of “raising awareness” about an apocalyptic disaster that we have no reason to suppose is about to occur, and could not prevent if it were? Yet the scientists of the Geological Society rushed out a report to coincide with the docudrama, announcing that such an eruption will happen, and could “threaten the fabric of civilisation”.
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The Enlightenment values of scientific inquiry and rationalism were supposed to free humanity from superstition. In our high-tech dark age, however, it often seems that science is used to reinforce irrational fears. This is no way to live in what ought to be the best century so far to be alive.
Some say that the supervolcano eruption is 40,000 years “overdue”. Which means that humanity could have wasted its time worrying about such an eruption since the good old days in the caves.
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The Times - Opinion - Mick Hume
Supervolcano is the BBC’s latest doomsday docudrama, about a supposed eruption in Yellowstone Park that leads to global catastrophe. Introduced as “a true story that hasn’t happened yet” (which sounds like what we used to call fiction), Supervolcano was watched by 7.3 million people. More than four million then turned over for the follow-up documentary about “the science behind the drama”, a remarkable eruption of public concern for a quiet Monday evening.
What is the point of “raising awareness” about an apocalyptic disaster that we have no reason to suppose is about to occur, and could not prevent if it were? Yet the scientists of the Geological Society rushed out a report to coincide with the docudrama, announcing that such an eruption will happen, and could “threaten the fabric of civilisation”.
...
The Enlightenment values of scientific inquiry and rationalism were supposed to free humanity from superstition. In our high-tech dark age, however, it often seems that science is used to reinforce irrational fears. This is no way to live in what ought to be the best century so far to be alive.
Some say that the supervolcano eruption is 40,000 years “overdue”. Which means that humanity could have wasted its time worrying about such an eruption since the good old days in the caves.
...
The Times - Opinion - Mick Hume
posted by CMT, 11:32 da manhã
