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Charlie
*Should we make it *is an important. Since there are some questions about
the course the climate will take (the effects of cloud cover are unknown
right now), even though some predicted aspects of climate change are
occurring (severe weather episodes), prudence (self survival) would suggest
a level of proactive behavior.
There is no question that history shows that we, governments , make rash
judgements but I am not convinced it is written entirely in our genes (and
I don't think you believe this either). We have not been able to identify
the complexity of genes that are responsible for our complex collective
behaviors. It would seem that our altruistic natures which act on
individual levels, and to some extent on community levels, should kick in
to help us make decisions that might avert the dangers that Hansen outlines.
Martin
On Thu, May 10, 2012 at 8:00 PM, Charlie Carlson <[log in to unmask]
> wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
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>
> Martin,
> Thanks for posting the informative op-ed piece from Hansen. It's well
> worth a read.
>
> The work of Hansen and many others indicates the certainty of the movement
> of giant slow gears of atmospheric composition and planetary warming. The
> problem is one of system hysteresis and human cultural naivetι, and there's
> nothing to do about system hysteresis that's a physics problem.
>
> Surprisingly, human behavior runs a close second for similar reasons.
> Under the weight of decision making, there's much to be gained by doubt
> and denial and little or nothing to be gained by being proactive. In spite
> of my distaste for his point view, Bjψrn Lomborg succinctly captured our
> soci-economic dilemma so well in his book(the skeptical environmentalist)
> of more than a decade ago. Should we make it to a second time around,
> humankind will be much better at springing into action, and who knows, it
> may be written into our genes.
>
> Even the most enlightened of institutions, espousing the pinnacle of human
> thought and capabilities makes rash actions, it's our nature and history.
> C
>
>
> On May 10, 2012, at 10:38 AM, Martin Weiss wrote:
>
> > ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> > Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> >
> *****************************************************************************
> >
> > http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/opinion/game-over-for-the-climate.html
> >
> > Jim Hanson of NASA a prominent climate researcher and critic of the lack
> of US and international policy and concern about climate change has written
> an assessment that everyone should read. And act upon. Fat chance, though.
> >
> > Martin
> > ____ __________________________
> > Martin Weiss
> > mweiss at nyscience. org
> > Sent from my iPhone
> > Hard to type while jostled on a NYC subway train so please forgive
> typing errors
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> >
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> The opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own and should in no way
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> Charles Carlson
> Senior Scientist
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--
Martin Weiss, PhD
Senior Scientist
New York Hall of Science
mweiss at nyscience.org
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