Live data from Hacker News

Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

deathandtaxesmag.com

11–20 of 106 posts

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#11

Let's flip this: 1. I will award $10,000 of my own money to anyone that can demonstrate, via the scientific method, that man-made global climate change IS occurring; 2. There is no entry fee; 3. You must be 18 years old or older to enter; 4. Entries do not have to be original, they only need to be first; 5. I am the final judge of all entries but will provide my comments on why any entry fails to prove the point. Obv…

Exactly. This is pointless.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#12
It is well understood that the atmosphere is a highly chaotic system. Small changes can have dramatic impact. It is completely inconceivable that six billion humans have had no impact on weather and climate. Arguing about the exact consequences of that is a complete waste of time. Humans have the ability to influence the environment and we need to do that in an educated way. Fixating on climate science distracts from more tangible environmental issues that need to be addressed.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#13
post #2

The article has a weird tone. Why is he being so agressive against people who think the opposite of him? I mean if you are tolerant against people whose religion place the women in a submission role and restrain to nothing individual rights, you can be also tolerant to people who think the earth is not warming up.

Because they don't just "think" the opposite of him; they claim that they have a scientific basis for their position. It's like the difference between hearing someone committed a crime, and watching them commit it (and testifying about it).

We certainly tolerate people who think unicorns fly out of pots of gold at the ends of rainbows, but we don't let them make decisions that will affect the health and well-being of a significant part of the planet's population.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#16
post #3

Can you really prove something by the scientific method? Maybe it would be better to say "show a likelihood of at least x%"?

Yes. You can prove that water boils when you add enough heat. You are making a philosophical argument, not a scientific one.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#17
post #8
post #3

Can you really prove something by the scientific method? Maybe it would be better to say "show a likelihood of at least x%"?

True. It's a kind of "intellectual" PR stunt. Hopefully, at least it will get rid of the cheap arguments on the opposite side.

And presumably ignore cheap tricks and fiddled data on the the other opposite side - a comment not improper given your dismissive tone.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#18
This is why I'm a skeptic, change my mind:

Let's say we have 150 years of accurate temperature data, and it shows an increase of a few degrees. What is the standard deviation in global temperature for 150 year periods for the last 100K or 1M years? How do we know what is significant change?

Any data gathered from models (ice core, tree rings, ...) just doesn't have the resolution to answer these questions.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#19
post #11

Let's flip this: 1. I will award $10,000 of my own money to anyone that can demonstrate, via the scientific method, that man-made global climate change IS occurring; 2. There is no entry fee; 3. You must be 18 years old or older to enter; 4. Entries do not have to be original, they only need to be first; 5. I am the final judge of all entries but will provide my comments on why any entry fails to prove the point. Obv…

Exactly. This is pointless.

except its a good "publicity" strategy in right direction but agreed the method is little more than a moot point.

Re: Physicist offers $10,000 for anyone to scientifically disprove climate change

#20
post #2

The article has a weird tone. Why is he being so agressive against people who think the opposite of him? I mean if you are tolerant against people whose religion place the women in a submission role and restrain to nothing individual rights, you can be also tolerant to people who think the earth is not warming up.

Or tolerant of a society that uses women to sell cars, films, magazines. Objectifies them to the point where they are mere symbols of sexual desire.

Or we could tolerate a society where your private correspondences will be read where your home will be invaded and your every move monitored.

Or a society which takes your wealth and funds a bloated military industrial complex, banking system, or anyone else with a large enough lobby group.

But it's the internet, spouting assertions from positions of ignorance is common place.

Post reply on HN