'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
1–10 of 21 posts
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#2It's my understanding that the EPA's 1993 study on second hand smoke was only able to achieve its desired result by redefining the previously accepted statistical threshold of "scientific truth". If that's indeed the case (I don't know or exactly care, since I'm just plain allergic to it) then calling it "junk science" is only speaking the truth.
I only skimmed this article; I sure hope it doesn't try to deny that a lot of science, and most especially a lot of medical science, is highly politicized and often just plain wrong. If you've been following Official Truth on fats for the last 4 decades as I have you can discern for yourself that something is seriously amiss.
Worse, if the people who excessively slammed fats pushed people to carbohydrates and thus diabetes (I think this is only speculation now, but it's hopefully getting a serious look) then they have a lot to answer for.
Heck, how about the previous US Official Truth that babies should be placed on their stomach for sleep. Oops, that may have had a significant effect on SIDS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_sleep
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#3"A handful of US scientists have made names for themselves by casting doubt on global warming research. In the past, the same people have also downplayed the dangers of passive smoking, acid rain and the ozone hole. In all cases, the tactics are the same: Spread doubt and claim it's too soon to take action."
Global warming (global cooling, climate change) is starting to sound like a religion. I always start to question things when:
1) It's about the money. The same people that claim that global warming is a problem are also invested in carbon credits (including Al Gore). Not to mention the fact that governments use it to fill their pockets with billions of dollars in tax revenue (we need a TV, radion, and Human tax because we emit carbon dioxide).
2) Any scientist that even hints at mis-information regarding global warming (and backs it up with stats) is immediately attacked and discredited.
3) Those emails that circulated were pretty damning, yet supports still won't believe it. They falsified information and many universities and organizations came out (before anyone investigated) to admit that yes, they were also using this info.
"With his sonorous voice, Fred Singer, 86, sounded like a grandfather explaining the obvious to a dim-witted child."
For a minute, I thought this article was on the onion.com
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#4"A handful of US scientists have made names for themselves by casting doubt on global warming research. In the past, the same people have also downplayed the dangers of passive smoking, acid rain and the ozone hole. In all cases, the tactics are the same: Spread doubt and claim it's too soon to take action." Global warming (global cooling, climate change) is starting to sound like a religion. I always start to questi…
Gore's investment in carbon credits was originally part of him trying to put his money where his mouth was, not just pull a fast one on everyone. But you can always find a devil if you look long enough.
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#5"A handful of US scientists have made names for themselves by casting doubt on global warming research. In the past, the same people have also downplayed the dangers of passive smoking, acid rain and the ozone hole. In all cases, the tactics are the same: Spread doubt and claim it's too soon to take action." Global warming (global cooling, climate change) is starting to sound like a religion. I always start to questi…
Your ridiculous talking points are well overplayed. Let us start with the e-mails - point out where they were "damning" and where information was "falsified", hint: it didn't happen, you're a fish swallowing a hook.
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#6"97 percent of all climatologists worldwide __assume__ that greenhouse gases produced by humans are warming the Earth"
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#7It's my understanding that the EPA's 1993 study on second hand smoke was only able to achieve its desired result by redefining the previously accepted statistical threshold of "scientific truth". If that's indeed the case (I don't know or exactly care, since I'm just plain allergic to it) then calling it "junk science" is only speaking the truth. I only skimmed this article; I sure hope it doesn't try to deny that a…
the previously accepted statistical threshold of "scientific truth"
This concept heartily amuses me. Care to say more?
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#8"A handful of US scientists have made names for themselves by casting doubt on global warming research. In the past, the same people have also downplayed the dangers of passive smoking, acid rain and the ozone hole. In all cases, the tactics are the same: Spread doubt and claim it's too soon to take action." Global warming (global cooling, climate change) is starting to sound like a religion. I always start to questi…
Your ridiculous talking points are well overplayed. Let us start with the e-mails - point out where they were "damning" and where information was "falsified", hint: it didn't happen, you're a fish swallowing a hook.
There were several long discussions about this on this very site at the time, and many of us remember those discussions, so it's going to be difficult to spread FUD about them.
Here's a pointer to a bunch of them, in case you missed the whole debacle: http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Anews.ycombinator.com+c...
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#9> According to a US study, 97 percent of all climatologists worldwide assume that greenhouse gases produced by humans are warming the Earth.
This is a lot like saying "97 percent of all feminists believe that patriarchal oppression is holding women back."
You don't go into climatology unless you think it's a big deal. See, I think global warming (1) exists, (2) is a mix of man made and natural cycles, (3) is not a big deal at all. Apocalyptic global warming just seems obviously false based on everything I've looked at.
Now, perhaps I'm mistaken. I didn't make this comment to argue the case - what I wanted is to point out that because my layman's understanding is that it's not a big deal, I don't go into the field. You'd expect anyone in the field to think it's a big deal.
Re: 'Science as the Enemy': The Traveling Salesmen of Climate Skepticism
#10It's my understanding that the EPA's 1993 study on second hand smoke was only able to achieve its desired result by redefining the previously accepted statistical threshold of "scientific truth". If that's indeed the case (I don't know or exactly care, since I'm just plain allergic to it) then calling it "junk science" is only speaking the truth. I only skimmed this article; I sure hope it doesn't try to deny that a…
the previously accepted statistical threshold of "scientific truth" This concept heartily amuses me. Care to say more?
I think it was a meta-analysis (a study using multiple original studies) and I recall 95% being a number of significance. As in it was either the previous or new, improved and of course lower threshold of "truth" (or rather statistical significance or whatever). I'm going by a 2nd or 3rd hand report, but the reported details are simple and easily falsifiable.
(ADDED: Or maybe it's 90% and they used 85%??? Anyway, that should give you enough to search on if you want to follow it up.)
Epidemiology is hard. When it's about a politicized topic (and almost all are nowadays) I've learned to just not pay much attention to any one study, at least until others have a chance to tear it apart.