Any objective look at what science has to say about climate change ought to be sufficient to persuade reasonable people that the climate is changing and that humans are responsible for a substantial part of that - and that these changes are doing harm and will continue to do more harm unless we start to reduce our emissions.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that scientific evidence clearly shows human-induced climate change is harmful, necessitating action to reduce emissions.
John Holdren's quote articulates the urgent need for recognition and action regarding climate change. He argues that a rational examination of scientific findings should convince reasonable individuals that climate change is real, primarily driven by human activities, and poses serious risks to our environment and future. The message underscores the imperative to mitigate these effects by taking significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In practice
In a speech addressing environmental activists, one might use this quote to highlight the urgency of climate action.
Humanity cannot afford to muddle through the rest of the twentieth century; the risks are too great, and the stakes are too high. This may be the last opportunity to choose our own and our descendants’ destiny. Failing to choose or making the wrong choices may lead to catastrophe. But it must never be forgotten that the right choices could lead to a much better world.
Language is only the instrument of science, and words are but the signs of ideas.
There are as many species as the infinite being created diverse forms in the beginning, which, following the laws of generation, produced many others, but always similar to them: therefore there are as many species as we have different structures before us today.
I think China knows that in the early stages of Covid, it didn't do what it needed to do, which was to, in real time, give access to international experts, in real time to share information, in real time to provide real transparency.
On two occasions I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.
I am disappointed because nobody is talking about food and agriculture. They're talking about the diets of children, but they're talking about Band-Aids. We're not seeing a vision.
There is no physical law precluding particles from being organised in ways that perform even more advanced computations than the arrangements of particles in human brains.
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