C. J. Ransom
The Age of Velikovsky is written by C.J. Ransom, a PhD in Plasma Physics
who conducted research for General Dynamics\' Convair Aerospace
Division. It is important reading for anyone interested in the
Velikovsky affair. Ransom gives an overview of Velikovsky\'s early
life, then Chapter 1 begins with the events surrounding the publication
of Velikovsky\'s first book in 1950: \"The reaction to _Worlds in
Collision_ by many members of the scientific community can provide
research material to interested psychoanalysts for decades....
unscientific and unethical actions did take place, and no amount of
rationalization can justify these actions... Many of the actions were
personal asaults on Velikovsky, or others who happened to be in the
line of fire. These actions were inexcusable even if Velikovsky were
wrong...\" Ransom is given to bursts of humor, as can be seen in the
following: \"*Before the book was published*, review articles...
appeared [which] did not accurately portray the conclusions or the
scholarship which led to these conclusions. Unfortunately... [s]ome
writers never came closer to the original than a review article, and
they wrote articles refuting what *others* thought Velikovsky might
have said. Oddly enough, some of these same people claimed that
Velikovsky did not use proper sources.\" (emphasis in original). So
much pressure was exerted on the publisher by the scientific community
that the book was transferred to another publisher, though it had
remained the best-seller almost from the first day of its release.
This attempt at supression of Velikovsky\'s work can be clearly seen as
one of the darkest and shabbiest actions in the history of modern
science. The author devotes almost 200 pages to showing many
different aspects of Velikovsky\'s discoveries, with evidence that
indicates their accuracy. There is the correction of history by over
500 years and the inconsistencies that are eliminated by the revised
chronology. There are numerous characteristics of the sun, planets, and
moons, realization of which were surprises to scientists, but had
either been explicitly predicted by Velikovsky or fit his theory better
than they did into existing scientific dogma. Then we read about
the AAAS convention of 1974: \"[it] was advertised as a scientific
appraisal of Velikovsky\'s theory. But, at the opening of the meeting,
the attendees were informed that the subject was not worthy of
scientific discussion and the meeting was being held to point this out
to any minds which had strayed from the uniformitarian fath. Several
of the participants certainly lived up to the claim that they would not
discuss the subject scientifically.\" Paramount among these was Carl
Sagan. \"His paper contained nothing which furthered scientific
debate. However, his paper was presented exceptionally well, and his
charisma added to the effectiveness of the presentation. Most of the
audience did not know and, because of his captivating delivery, did not
care that many of his points were irrelevant, incorrect, or
misleading. His entrancingly arrogant delivery exuded the air of a
great evangelist who had come to lead the people along the true
uniformitarian path... Perhaps Sagan\'s most quoted statement from the
sumposium was this: `My conclusion will be that where V is original, he
is very likely wrong; and that where he is right, the idea has been
pre-empted by earlier workers.\' Whether this lie was original with
Sagan or was fabricated by an earlier worker, it is flatly untrue.\"
In Ransom\'s conclusion he says, \"We have seen that a number of
irrational acts have occurred in the Velikovsky afffair, and that there
are divergent reasons for these actions... However, it is time to look
ahead. We could argue forever over what Velikovsky did or did not
mean, what he did or did not predict, and miss the total concept he
presented. Enough information now exists to show that his ideas are
worthy of continued study. Whether he as an individual is right or
wrong on some point is irrelevant. Velikovsky\'s work now belongs to
the world, and the world will lose by continuing to ignore it.\"
Wonderful reading if you can find the book! -
Amazon
