WUWT:
Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Everyone has heard of Jurassic Park. What is less well known is author Michael Crichton, who passed in 2008, was also a staunch critic of politicised science, and an articulate and effective global warming skeptic, who was just getting into his stride when he was sadly struck down at age 66 by cancer.
TWENTY YEARS ON, ALIENS STILL CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING
Over the years, the Jurassic Park creator observed, science has drifted from its foundation as an objective search for truth toward political power games
JONATHAN BARTLETT JUNE 7, 2020
In 2003, author and filmmaker Michael Crichton (1942–2008), best known for Jurassic Park, made a now-famous speech at Caltech, titled “Aliens Cause Global Warming.” The title was humorous but the content was serious. He was not addressing some strange theory of global warming; he was warning about the politicization of science.
In 2003, author and filmmaker Michael Crichton (1942–2008), best known for Jurassic Park, made a now-famous speech at Caltech, titled “Aliens Cause Global Warming.” The title was humorous but the content was serious. He was not addressing some strange theory of global warming; he was warning about the politicization of science.
I remember essay that coming out
I would recommend Crichton’s “State of Fear” as a novel worth reading. The plot is pretty standard Crichton, but he uses the book to raise questions about global warming. He doesn’t really take a hard stand either way about global warming itself, but does take issue with the scientific and political community in their efforts and methods to advance a political agenda.
Crichton shows data which runs counter to the claims of global warming enthusiasts, has some of his main characters explain scientific counter-arguments to many global warming claims, and recounts how numerous global warming scientists ignore – either willfully or negligently – accepted scientific methods in proving or disproving a hypothesis. Along the way, Crichton alerts the reader to other global warming principles such as the urban heat island effect which has nothing to do with the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
You may actually be more interested in Crichton’s afterward and bibliography. Again, Crichton takes the position that the science will lead to the actual science, but objects to the opportunists and politicians who have hijacked the issue and either cherry-picked facts, ignored scientific methods or twisted theories to attain their desired political goals. He specifically references eugenics and lysenkoism as two “scientific” theories that went horribly wrong and killed millions of people.
Usually overlooked with regard to this novel is the genesis of the name “State of Fear.” Crichton describes a theory that all governments need a common evil enemy in order to control the population through fear of that enemy, and with the seeming end of the Cold War, general fear can be induced by claiming global warming is the next big threat to mankind. This is a theory that has some widespread acceptance, and its principles can be found throughout history. Indeed, Orwell’s “1984” and the world it describes is predicated upon the citizens of the various areas being terrified of the various other enemy areas as well as the shadowy Goldstein.
As a final note, throughout “State of Fear,” Crichton refers to the precautionary principle (a popular theory then) as a reason global warming advocates advance “solutions” – mostly in the form of bans – which have no scientific basis. However, Crichton notes that the precautionary principle itself prevents the application of the precautionary principle – which is true once you think about it.
He was always one of my favorite writers. He really lit up the bullshit of global warming in the book, State of Fear, which I’ve recently reread. In packing for my move, I pulled more of his books for a reread then even Elmore Leonard or Vince Flynn.
He was the only person to ever have the #1 Bestseller, #1 Movie and #1 TV show at the same time.
Man I miss him. So entertaining but always with deep insights. Many of his books are really moral stories.
What does the truth have to do with anything?
This is about fascists trying to seize power.
Michael Crichton was definitely a writer with insight into the worlds of science and the minds of men and women. One of my favorite books by this author is “Travels”, which is a collection of essays about the places Crichton was able to visit once he became successful. Tahiti, New Guinea, Africa, Pakistan, Thailand and Jamaica are just a few of the locations Michael Crichton writes about as he examined his own place in the world.
I miss Mike