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Climate Deniers Are Giving Us Skeptics a Bad Name
American Thinker ^ | February 29, 2012 | S. Fred Singer

Posted on 02/29/2012 11:21:15 PM PST by neverdem

Gallia omnia est divisa in partes tres. This phrase from Julius Gaius Caesar about the division of Gaul nicely illustrates the universe of climate scientists -- also divided into three parts. On the one side are the "warmistas," with fixed views about apocalyptic man-made global warming; at the other extreme are the "deniers." Somewhere in the middle are climate skeptics.

In principle, every true scientist must be a skeptic. That's how we're trained; we question experiments, and we question theories. We try to repeat or independently derive what we read in publications -- just to make sure that no mistakes have been made.

In my view, warmistas and deniers are very similar in some respects -- at least their extremists are. They have fixed ideas about climate, its change, and its cause. They both ignore "inconvenient truths" and select data and facts that support their preconceived views. Many of them are also quite intolerant and unwilling to discuss or debate these views -- and quite willing to think the worst of their opponents.

Of course, these three categories do not have sharp boundaries; there are gradations. For example, many skeptics go along with the general conclusion of the warmistas but simply claim that the human contribution is not as large as indicated by climate models. But at the same time, they join with deniers in opposing drastic efforts to mitigate greenhouse (GH) gas emissions.

I am going to resist the temptation to name names. But everyone working in the field knows who is a warmista, skeptic, or denier. The warmistas, generally speaking, populate the U.N.'s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and subscribe to its conclusion that most of the temperature increase of the last century is due to carbon-dioxide emissions produced by the use of fossil fuels. At any...

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: agw; climatechange; globalwarming; globalwarminghoax
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1 posted on 02/29/2012 11:21:19 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem

Really...who cares...like there is anything anyone can do about “The Weather”. Oh yeah...commies want to make the sun rising a political issue!


2 posted on 02/29/2012 11:24:32 PM PST by gr8eman (Ron Swanson for President!)
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>> In principle, every true scientist must be a skeptic. That’s how we’re trained; we question experiments, and we question theories.

The community of scientists, whatever that might be, dragged its heels on one of the greatest frauds of modern times. Many took a stand, but most fell silent. The idea scientist are by nature virtuous, in constant pursuit of truth, is a load of crap.


3 posted on 02/29/2012 11:31:52 PM PST by Gene Eric (Newt/Sarah 2012)
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To: neverdem

Singer should stick with Dyson spheres.


4 posted on 02/29/2012 11:36:37 PM PST by PA Engineer (Time to beat the swords of government tyranny into the plowshares of freedom.)
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To: Gene Eric

You are so right - this is a apologetics piece for the science brigade, very few of them have anything to be proud about when it comes to the Globul Warming fraud.

Mel


5 posted on 02/29/2012 11:59:24 PM PST by melsec (Once a Jolly Swagman camped by a Billabong....)
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To: neverdem

I think what most people are against is the scheme—Cap and Trade.

Governments, political insiders and the like are so obvious— they practically have drool hanging from their jowls. They look like my Boxer pups when I am preparing their meals.

Just like everybody says it is not a contraception argument, it’s a first amendment argument. This is not a climate denier versus true believer argument—it is about CROOKS and FREEDOM!

Whatever reality there may or may not be to this climate fuss— it is not about saving the planet. It is about control of people and wealth.


6 posted on 03/01/2012 12:00:33 AM PST by Irenic
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To: neverdem

Quote: [ The warmistas, generally speaking, populate the U.N.’s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) ] Well that tells you all you need to know about the warmists. IE: It’s all political & no science is involved. After all - it was the warminsts who were caught red handed sending incriminating e-mails to one another talking about using a “trick” & about “hiding the decline”. The so called “deniers” are simply folks who have looked at the research & have found that it does not support the dogma of the warmists. The so called deniers are the true skeptics as they are not as dogmatic as their warmist counterpart.


7 posted on 03/01/2012 12:01:28 AM PST by Republican1795.
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To: Gene Eric
The idea scientist are by nature virtuous, in constant pursuit of truth, is a load of crap.

Thanks a lot. That was to be kept secret.

8 posted on 03/01/2012 12:14:17 AM PST by Rudder
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To: Rudder

hahahaha! That was good...


9 posted on 03/01/2012 12:34:15 AM PST by Irenic
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To: neverdem
There really is nothing we can do about climate change anyway except exploit it as a business.....and while there is no supportive data, business is still good.

Today, once again and once more too often, I got into a conversation with a person who proudly said she'd returned to college studying anthropology and archeology. Great, said I (it's good to have something to occupy your mind while you're unemployed). Going forward, she started a rant about genetically modified fruits and vegetables which she learned about in her classes. They were being modified by Monsanto and Monsanto was using Roundup (glyphosate) by injecting it into the seeds!! I'd have offered her a banana for achievements in learning but I stuck it in my ear instead.

It's simply amazing what one can learn in college these days; what they never learn is critical thinking, the scientific method and just plain ole common sense.
10 posted on 03/01/2012 12:43:32 AM PST by BIGLOOK (Keelhaul Congress!)
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To: neverdem

Kind of a weird article
Using a very small sub group of “deniers” to counterbalance the massively large super funded “warmists” - is a bit odd.

Plus - even given the outlier nature of the “deniers” as he deems them - I’m still not aware of them fabricating data, stealing documents, “adjusting” offical data, etc. Is there a “denier” IPCC? Afraid not. The most popular “Skeptic/denier” websites and programs - Climateaudit, WUWT, and Heartland - etc. - aren’t “denier” sites - they are skeptic sites.

So - even given his rules - the warmists really are “special”. They are not just some guys confused about some physics.

It may have been better to split the “warmists” into those who are a bit confused, and those who are felons.

Kind of weak tea for a guy working at UVA with Dr Mann - who is such a “scientist” he goes to court to hide his data and methods - from the people who paid for the data!


11 posted on 03/01/2012 12:57:11 AM PST by Eldon Tyrell (question,.)
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To: neverdem
Let's say global warming is real, and it's directly caused by man. I, for one, am not willing to live the rest of my life in a cold, dark cubicle eating my allotted portion of government nutripaste in order to save the planet. I'd rather live free. If the oceans rise a couple inches (or feet) over the next century, so be it. Man can adapt.
12 posted on 03/01/2012 1:21:24 AM PST by CitizenUSA (Why celebrate evil? Evil is easy. Good is the goal worth striving for.)
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To: Irenic
I have been arguing for some time that there is no conservative position on global warming or climate change just as there is no conservative position on string theory or evolution for that matter. These are questions of science not politics.

You are quite correct in noting the objection should be toward the exploitation of science by politicians resulting in, for example, cap and trade.

In this context, I note that Newt Gingrich might have been sitting on the wrong side of the couch but when it came time to attack the cap and trade legislation he was seated right in front of the committee testifying against it.


13 posted on 03/01/2012 1:27:42 AM PST by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: BIGLOOK

BIGLOOK: “It’s simply amazing what one can learn in college these days; what they never learn is critical thinking, the scientific method and just plain ole common sense.”

I was discussing genetically modified foods just the other day. Like your college student, this person was worried about all the poisons evil corporations, like Monsanto, were adding to our food. Somehow the concept that it would be bad for business to kill customers didn’t cross his mind. What’s the average lifespan up to these days? Yeah, they’re killing us...


14 posted on 03/01/2012 1:31:52 AM PST by CitizenUSA (Why celebrate evil? Evil is easy. Good is the goal worth striving for.)
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To: Gene Eric

Yes. It has always been so, they just reminded us of it.


15 posted on 03/01/2012 1:56:47 AM PST by jospehm20
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To: neverdem

Singer tries to be “fair and balanced” and in the process demeans the “deniers” who see through the AGW scam. Sure, there are some who get the science wrong. But there are plenty of “deniers” who recognize the AGW coalition of self-centered scientists and socialists for what it is: a grab for money, power, and control.

He does have some great quotes at the end of the column, though.


16 posted on 03/01/2012 2:17:08 AM PST by Rocky (REPEAL IT!)
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To: CitizenUSA
Somehow the concept that it would be bad for business to kill customers didn’t cross his mind.

It would be nice if this were a dispositive argument (and I do not mean this by way of singling out Monsanto) but it isn't. At the most trivial we see the safety and health problems daily in Chinese exports -- and supposedly the Chinese want their customers to keep buying. If Monsanto (as an example) can get enough people thinking that with their huge laboratories they are a cut above the ordinary mortal, somehow up there with the idealistic pure gods on Mt. Olympus, they can get the kind of toleration that Chinese quality control troubles get.

17 posted on 03/01/2012 2:39:56 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Sometimes progressives find their scripture in the penumbra of sacred bathroom stall writings (Tzar))
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To: Rocky

Indeed, slyentists do not deal well with those who question them on a sociological basis.


18 posted on 03/01/2012 2:40:54 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Sometimes progressives find their scripture in the penumbra of sacred bathroom stall writings (Tzar))
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To: neverdem

He certainly stays in the “room” the warmistas put him in— adjusts all the pictures on the wall, but never bothers to look out the window.


19 posted on 03/01/2012 3:07:51 AM PST by gusopol3
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To: Rocky
Sure, there are some who get the science wrong.

yes, completely wrong. It is possible that physics is all wrong and they are right, but very unlikely.

But there are plenty of "deniers" who recognize the AGW coalition of self-centered scientists and socialists

That's politics which is different from denying or ignoring or misunderstanding a large portion of physics. I am one of those "recognizers", but I also understand the science pretty well.

20 posted on 03/01/2012 3:14:59 AM PST by palmer (Before reading this post, please send me $2.50)
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