Re: "Velikovskyite" what is this ? (posted for R. Plotnick)

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From: "Roy E. Plotnick" <plotnick@Plotnick.geol.uic.edu>
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 09:44:25 -0600
To: paleonet-owner@nhm.ac.uk
Subject: Re: "Velikovskyite" what is this ? (posted for Ogunjobi Oluwaseyi)
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Velikovsky (and his disciples) have written a whole series of books with a
mega-catastrophic orientation. His "Worlds in Collision" and "Earth in
Upheavel" were bestsellers. A lot was based on literal readings of biblical and
other ancient texts, where celestial events are described. Here is a sample:
"At some time more than 4000 years ago, the giant planet Jupiter underwent a
shattering convulsion and hurled a planet-size chunk of itself into space.  The
blazing new member of the solar system-the protoplanet Venus-hurtled down a
long orbit toward the sun, on a course that would eventually menace the
earth...To Velikovsky, it was clear that this fiery birth of Venus had been
recorded by peoples the world over."
-Fred Warshofsky, "Doomsday,"  quoted in John White's "Pole Shift"
Professional scientists, most notably Harlow Shapley, scoffed loudly, starting
what Velikovsky's followers have called the "Velikovsky affair."  -Roy Plotnick

--
Roy E. Plotnick
Geological Sciences
University of Illinois at Chicago
845 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL 60607

plotnick@plotnick.geol.uic.edu

phone: 312-996-2111
fax: 312-413-2279