View source for The Age of Velikovsky

{{Infobox book
| name = The Age of Velikovsky
| image = The Age of Velikovsky 1379.jpg
| author = [[C J Ransom]]
| published = 1978
| publisher = [[Doubleday]]
| isbn = 038528036X
}}

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! - [http://www.amazon.com/Age-Velikovsky-C-J-Ransom/dp/038528036X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1286997697&amp;sr=8-1 Amazon]

==Links to Purchase Book==

* [http://www.amazon.com/Age-Velikovsky-C-J-Ransom/dp/038528036X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286997697&sr=8-1 The Age of Velikovsky][[Category:Book|age velikovsky]]