Cambridge Professor's theory

Summary:

Professor Nicholas Boyle's thesis

Cambridge Professor's theory

Matthew (guest) 22 May 2011 13:05

Sorry if this isn't relevant to the website, but I stumbled across the theory of a Cambridge academic called Professor Boyle, who says that there may soon be a crisis triggered by the recent financial collapse that will affect the rest of the century. Part of his reasoning is that in the second decade of each century in the past 500 years, there has been a cataclysmic 'Great Event' of international significance. His prediction is that this will occur in 2014. He refers to the start of the 30 Years War in 1618 and the First World War in 1914, as well as more benign events such as Martin Luther's nailing of his theses to the Wittenburg church in 1517, and the enlighten Congress of Vienna in 1815. What do you think about this?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1287271/World-plunged-crisis-2014-Cambridge-expert-predicts-Doomsday.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7832724/2014-will-determine-course-of-century-says-Cambridge-professor.html

Last edited on 23 May 2011 05:34 by Alene Y Show more

Re: Cambridge Professor's theory

Tomy2011 22 May 2011 13:21

Our economy is unlucky. It seems that when all is fine, suddenly something bad happens: inflation, economical crisis, bankruptcy etc.
But I do not agree with Boyle, because there is no way to predict financial collapses in 2014.

He is cherry-picking events. The 1517, 1618, 1715, 1815 and 1914 events are just some events in a big history of events/crises. He also forgot the Great Depression, in 1929, the Second World War, in 1939 and other events that are not less significant than the events/crises he picked.
Another thing: why this is supposed to be a crisis, and not a good thing, like the Congress of Vienna? What the hell does he know? ;-)
Too easy to debunk.

Re: Cambridge Professor's theory

TheGreatJuju 22 May 2011 13:29

I suspect you can point to a "Great Event" of some type in more or less any decade of any century.

"But he cautioned that peace is only possible if the world realises that an age of individual nation states is over and an effective system of global governance is introduced."

Oh, look, an agenda. Why am I not surprised?

What do you think about this?

I think we have another cherry-picking doomsayer.

---

"They tell you, but do you believe it? If so, why?"

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Re: Cambridge Professor's theory

3WMElliott 22 May 2011 13:46

Part of his reasoning is that in the second decade of each century in the past 500 years, there has been a cataclysmic 'Great Event' of international significance.

Why not the 4th decade of every century?

The Italian War of the 1540s lead to England and France introducing increased taxes to cover the costs, France then couldn't help German Protestants in the Schmalkaldic War (sidenote: awesome name).
The 1640s saw English Civil Wars leaving countries without monarchs, while other countries entered into a truce to end the Thirty Years War.
The 1740s were dominated by the War of the Austrian Succession, bringing in multiple countries stretching from India to America, ending with the origins of Germany becoming a country in it's own right much later on in time.
The 1840s brought the Opium Wars, giving part of Hong Kong to the British, and European revolutions lead to mass immigration of refugees worldwide, notably into the United States.
And finally the 1940s. Something about a second World War, can't recall that part of my history lessons.

If the argument is that a century doesn't define it's character until its 20 years old, how on Earth do you define the character of the 20th Century? You start with one World War, you progress with another one, you keep going with Vietnam, and finish up with a Gulf War. Did the first world war trigger the mood for every war after it, or do we live in an ever flowing human history full of conflict and differences?

Re: Cambridge Professor's theory

Alene Y 23 May 2011 05:37

Matthew,
I edited your post just to correct the name of Martin Luther. He was the one who nailed his theses to the church door in 1517. Martin Luther King lived over 400 years later.