Franktalk wrote:Tarski wrote:You may find this to be the most frustrating thing you have ever done.
This doesn't sound encouraging.
You might ask yourself, if I were explaining how we model stellar evolution or how we model the diffusion of a certain fertilizer in soil, would you be trying to make it frustating by doubting everything at every step and trying demand that every variable you can think of be included in the model? Would if even occur to you be all worked up about who did the research to get the data or whether maybe some of the measuring equipment might not be perfect (something we do in fact consider statistically)?
It seems odd to me that people will trust science enough to get on airplanes and undergo brain surgery, but when the science says something they
perceive to be inconvenient for their religion or politics, then somehow they go to great lengths to find a way to worm out of the conclusion. We see creationist pastors acting like they are biologists and talk radio hosts acting like they are PhD climate scientists.
It gives the game away; understanding isn't the real goal for the denialist.
As far as being able to find (very very few) qualfied scientists in the actual field of climate science with a contrarian view, I would just remind you of how easy it was for the tobacco industry to find a few scientists willing to deny the cancer-tobacco connection. The parallel with the oil inductry is striking.
In fact, if there were somehow a popular religious reason, say if your religion used tobacco in some sacred ceremony, then I am quite sure you would come up with whatever pseudo-scientific nonsense you needed to deny the cancer connection including doubting the data and finding contrarian scientists to back you up.
So, if you really did want to understand the science, why would you give me a harder time than if I were explaining optics or weed dispersal dynamics?
Now if you really want to explore the science then we will have to do so slowly and start out making a few points to clear up common misconceptions and clarify our expectations.
Another reason for going slowly is that I actually have to do my own research and explaining what I can say about climate science will take a lot of work on my part. In short, I have time constraints--which is why I want to make sure that you would in principle be open to changing your mind.
Also, I will have nothing to say about economic policy. For purposes of the scientific discussion, we should try to suspend our hopes and fears and try to act as if we didn't care about the effect on humans. --occassionally I get so frustrated that I actually don't care truth be told.
The evidence is telling a physical story and we should just try to see what that is as clearly as possible without demanding absolute certainty (which isn't possible in any science).
You can even pretend that global warming is a good thing for all I care. By the way, I notice that deniers will say on one day that GW is not occuring, then on the next day say that only AGW is a hoax, and then on a third day tell me that
global warming is actually a good thing because of increasing growing seasons or something. The only common thread here is the political paranoia. Make up your mind guys.
when believers want to give their claims more weight, they dress these claims up in scientific terms. When believers want to belittle atheism or secular humanism, they call it a "religion". -Beastie
yesterday's Mormon doctrine is today's Mormon folklore.-Buffalo