Reply #17: Another thing is this weird reasoning. [View All]

From article: In the 1960s, experts like Paul Ehrlich spoke with conviction: “In the 1970s the world will undergo famines—hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death.”

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..... mass starvation never occurred either. Instead, per capita food production increased through the end of the century because of the “green revolution” resulting from increased agricultural efficiency and better seeds. Grain production increased as much as 600% per acre, bringing unprecedented crop yields around the world.

What happened is that scientifc study identified a problem then the problem was solved through scientific advancement and education. The emphasis on population growth in the 60's encouraged the UN to institute programs to aid developing countries with birth control. China also started Draconian programs to limit the size of Chinese families. By Crichton's logic, we should have ignored the problem and then scientists would have been right. He is presenting a catch-22 argument where if scientific advancement prevents a problem then they must have been exaggerating the problem. If scientific advancement doesn't take care of the problem then the are right.