Do Fossil Fuels Pose a Risk To Our Civilization?

Here’s a debate between Dr. Bill McKibben, arguably the world’s best-known environmentalist, debating Alex Epstein (pictured), devotee of Ayn Rand, on the value of fossil fuels in today’s world.

We all appreciate that coal, oil, and natural gas played a crucial role in creating the advanced society we have today. But astonishingly, some people, Mr. Epstein among them, assert that they pose no risk to the health and safety of the world of the 21st Century.  It’s a position akin to claiming that Hitler was a man of morals, or that the Earth is flat; it’s an extremely difficult viewpoint to defend.

Is this Epstein’s heartfelt perspective on the matter?  That’s hard to say.  One thing’s certain however:  it’s his job.  He’s a consult to the fossil fuel industry.  Makes one wonder about his sincerity.  Just saying….

I’m reminded of the time I had the good fortune to sit next to James “Buster” Douglas (ex-heavyweight boxing world champion) on an airplane.  I asked him, “You beat Mike Tyson. In your conversations with him, did it seem that he was as crazy as he appears, or do you think this was more of a mechanism to get attention?”  Buster admitted that he didn’t know, but he admitted that my question had merit. I recall that I was relieved that Buster thought I had a point there; you really don’t want someone that size to be cross with you.

In any case, it’s hard to look at someone like Epstein and not think that his act is just a disingenuous (but effective) way of focusing attention on oneself.