Irreversible climate damage is imminent

[ZenG]

Here comes the old "if scientists say it , it must be true" thing again.

Scientists en masse have been wrong in the past countless times. And wrong BIGTIME.

Not denying that something's up with the climate.

But I am so g*dam* sick of being told to worship The Great Scientist as if everything they say is the gospel truth.

Every time they are wrong they say "Scientists now think that...." and when you call them on it they say " well...information is being constantly updated through research"

In other words "It's true until we say it isn't".

 

[madrob]

Here comes the old "if scientists say it , it must be true" thing again.

Scientists en masse have been wrong in the past countless times. And wrong BIGTIME.

Not denying that something's up with the climate.

But I am so g*dam* sick of being told to worship The Great Scientist as if everything they say is the gospel truth.

Every time they are wrong they say "Scientists now think that...." and when you call them on it they say " well...information is being constantly updated through research"

In other words "It's true until we say it isn't".

I really don't understand why you have an issue when scientists say "we think this is what's happening". That is what any reputable scientist should say until there is an overwhelming body of proof. This is the way science works, a theory is concieved and then investigation into the theory is carried out. Clearly right now all indications point to humans affecting climate change. There may (and likely are) other factors affecting current climate change but it's an extremely complex system and I think it will still be decades before the full truth is known.

Science is about asking questions and searching for the answers.

 

[Munjibunga]

Here comes the old "if scientists say it , it must be true" thing again.

Scientists en masse have been wrong in the past countless times. And wrong BIGTIME.

Not denying that something's up with the climate.

But I am so g*dam* sick of being told to worship The Great Scientist as if everything they say is the gospel truth.

Every time they are wrong they say "Scientists now think that...." and when you call them on it they say " well...information is being constantly updated through research"

In other words "It's true until we say it isn't".

Interesting phrase ... "the gospel truth" ... That, after thinly-veiled blasphemy.

 

[knumbskull]

This would be a lot easier if every scientist in the world could just decide on the same answer and darn well stick to it. Not keep changing their story every time they get new "results". Pfft.

 

[madrob]

This would be a lot easier if every scientist in the world could just decide on the same answer and darn well stick to it. Not keep changing their story every time they get new "results". Pfft.

Lol

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The majority of the problems are caused by media outlets "interpreting" scientific results and publications. Most of the scientists I know cringe when there is talk about scientific findings in the media.

The problem with the term global warming is that every idiot thought it meant everything was getting hotter, which isn't true, as we all know the weather on earth is far too dynamic for it to be the simple. However, what global warming does mean is there is an increased energy within the weather system, more energy means more change and larger swings. Basically put, it's easier to call it climate change.

Personally, I think you'd have to be fairly arrogant to suggest we have no impact on the planet (sadly I know quite a few folks who think this). I mean, yes, it is a dynamic and changing system, but to think we have no effect . . . really? On the flip side, I don't think we're at the doom & gloom Mad Max stage.

I still think we need to invest a lot into greener energies, particularly seeing how finite the supplies of many fuel sources are. At the rate we're going we aren't going to run out tomorrow, but over the next lifetime or two, things are certainly going to become sketchy.

 

[will33]

Alarmist say - It is undeniable fact, the sky is falling, give me power, control and money and I can save us.


Denier say - This is all BS, thou shalt kneel before the throne of big oil.


Confucius say - Loud mouth speaketh no truth.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Alarmist say - It is undeniable fact, the sky is falling, give me power, control and money and I can save us.


Denier say - This is all BS, thou shalt kneel before the throne of big oil.


Confucius say - Loud mouth speaketh no truth.

Yup!

Basically, the truth is somewhere in the middle (in terms of what the media spews).

 

[Unrepresented]

Alarmist say - It is undeniable fact, the sky is falling, give me power, control and money and I can save us.


Denier say - This is all BS, thou shalt kneel before the throne of big oil.


Confucius say - Loud mouth speaketh no truth.

If we're finding truth by balancing the views of trained scientists with internet idiots, I do not have solid expectations that the "middle ground" will be a shift towards the voice of reason.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

If we're finding truth by balancing the views of trained scientists with internet idiots, I do not have solid expectations that the "middle ground" will be a shift towards the voice of reason.

The only problem is the actual views of scientists are often exposed in a cut, paste and misinterpreted way! Sadly there are also internet idiots on both sides!

 

[Unrepresented]

The only problem is the actual views of scientists are often exposed in a cut, paste and misinterpreted way! Sadly there are also internet idiots on both sides!

I don't see the idiocy being particularly balanced in number on both sides. I actually donate to the group Union of Concerned Scientists who work to make sure that the public is hearing the opinion of scientists on these matters, rather than just industry or political pundits.

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/

 

[GregC]

Personally, I think you'd have to be fairly arrogant to suggest we have no impact on the planet (sadly I know quite a few folks who think this). I mean, yes, it is a dynamic and changing system, but to think we have no effect . . . really? On the flip side, I don't think we're at the doom & gloom Mad Max stage.

Where the discussion really gets into nuttersville is when people claim that it's somehow "arrogant" to believe that mankind CAN have a significant impact on the planet. Of course, these are probably the same folks who watched that one George Carlin clip and decided that's all they need to "know" about the environment.

 

[DerHoggz]

If we're finding truth by balancing the views of trained scientists with internet idiots, I do not have solid expectations that the "middle ground" will be a shift towards the voice of reason.

Thisx1000. It just dilutes everything.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Where the discussion really gets into nuttersville is when people claim that it's somehow "arrogant" to believe that mankind CAN have a significant impact on the planet. Of course, these are probably the same folks who watched that one George Carlin clip and decided that's all they need to "know" about the environment.

The reason I separated it the way I did is that we do have an influence on the environment, but to which degree, that is the part up in the air. To claim no impact on the environment at all isn't a part of the sliding scale, it's a flat refusal. The loudest voices on both sides are at the further ends of the spectrum and both fairly crazy.

We have to remember too that life adapts, but that's the greatest difference between humans and nearly every other creature on the planet. Most animals will adapt to their environment, people adapt their environment to them.

 

[nukes_da_bass]

There's no way we couldn't have affected the environment. Hundreds if not thousands of species extinct from urban expansion, bovid gas alone accounts for tons of carbon gasses in the atmosphere- and don't discount the impact of modern nutrition and medicine, which has forced surviving human population far.beyond what nature originally intended.

Someone should do a study just for fun, measuring all the extra human flatt and what said expulsions are doing to the environment.
Yeah that's right- human fart.clouds are eating the ozone

 

[philvanv]

Play a P bass.

 

[duff beer]

Alarmist say - It is undeniable fact, the sky is falling, give me power, control and money and I can save us.


Denier say - This is all BS, thou shalt kneel before the throne of big oil.


Confucius say - Loud mouth speaketh no truth.

You couldn't be more wrong about those who haven't drank the climate change Kool-Aid. It is possible to not believe in climate change and to also not want to kneel before Big Oil. The two scenarios have absolutely nothing to do with each other....except maybe to those who bought the climate change propaganda.

 

[Humbled]

It is possible to not believe in climate change and to also not want to kneel before Big Oil.

But it's nearly impossible for a Leftist to argue without personally demonizing and denigrating the opposition, you knuckledragger, you...

 

[duff beer]

But it's nearly impossible for a Leftist to argue without personally demonizing and denigrating the opposition, you knuckledragger, you...

That I agree with. Lefties are arrogant and can't handle a difference of opinion. Their usual response is to either change the topic or insult

 

[GregC]

But it's nearly impossible for a Leftist to argue without personally demonizing and denigrating the opposition, you knuckledragger, you...

That I agree with. Lefties are arrogant and can't handle a difference of opinion. Their usual response is to either change the topic or insult

Irony alert.