Betrayal of Science and Reason

"With Betrayal of Science and Reason, a book that is well-argued, thoroughly researched and compelling, [the Ehrlichs] bat back the positions taken by the increasingly prominent critics of environmental science and activism, and set the record straight on just how much damage industrial emissions, pollutants and synthetic products are doing to the environment....Betrayal is timely, readable and fresh. But above all it is necessary...With its thorough analysis, excellent source notes and long list of references to works by both the 'brownlashers' and their opponents, Betrayal is an indispensable resource for students and researchers of environmentalism. And for anyone interested in understanding the evolution of the natural environment and what they can do to stymie its decline, it is a must."--Washington Post Book World: October 27, 1996; front page review.

 

Reader Comments: A well written, refutation of the "balanced" ecological view of conservatives, the far right, and other dangerous purveyors of a commerce based environmental ethic. This book is packed with succinct responses to the rampant anti-environmental rhetoric. For the layperson who cares about the destruction of the environment, while constantly hearing that "things aren't so bad," it's a breath of fresh air. The Ehrlichs clearly communicate what scientists know about the effects of human activity on our biosphere. (Footnotes are thoughtfully included.)

 

Reader Comments: Essential reading for the science-minded person. A study of how science has been skewed by politics. Written by Paul Ehrlich and his wife Anne Ehrlich, both eminent biologists at Stanford University, this book examines how the public's view of environmental issues has become increasingly clouded through what the authors term, "brownlash." By this, they mean that some anti-environmentalists have sought to use science and scientific reasoning to skewer long-held and perceived assumptions about the state of environmentalism, to de-bunk the need for environmental protection. At face value, you would think this is a broadside against neoconservative thinking, and indeed Ehrlich and Ehrlich condemn those on the right such as Rush Limbaugh for what they see as the right's blatant attempts to discredit environmental protection efforts, and scientific reasoning in general, but they do point out that it isn't all the fault of conservative Republicans. Their aim, in writing a book for a general audience, is to explain in clear but quite understandable prose for the general reader, what the complexities in environmental studies are, where we've come from in terms of environmental protection, and where we need to go in order to preserve the earth for future generations.

 

To purchase, click >> Betrayal of Science and Reason

GO BACK TO BOOKSTORE