As sceptics we seek the truth, we consider evidence without prejudice. We have no predetermined opinions.
The internet has filled our lives with information, but not necessarily with facts. The truth is out there, somewhere, but often hidden in a sea of opinions and rhetoric.
So what can we do whne truth is so hard to find?
The Global warming story is a conspiracy of the internet age. In blogs and comments on thousands of website people throw insults and weblinks at each other like spears and arrows. But nobody’s armour is ever so much as dented.
“If you look at medievalwarmingperiodisbagofshite.com you’ll see I’m right!”
“You’re so gullible. I think you’ll find that if you look at hockeystickisloadofbollocks.com you’ll see I’m right”
Everyone is talking and no-one is listening. Such anger and arrogance. How can people be so certain in the face of so much noise.
Every argument has a counter argument. For every pro website there’s an anti website.
I am not a scientist. Most of the people posting and blogging are not scientists. I have neither the expertise nor the time to sift through the thousands of claims and counterclaims. Several noted individuals whose opinions I have always respected are firm advocates of climate change. Several noted individuals whose opinions I have always respected are firm opponents.
So how does the dedicated sceptic tackle such a complex subject? To act is to take sides. To do nothing is to take sides.
The answer, I think, is to step away from the detail, from the angels and the pins, and to look at the bigger picture. Is there a conspiracy and if so by whom?
I take the oldest and sharpest tool from the sceptic’s toolbox and apply it thus.
1) The Climate change advocates would have us believe that the majority of world’s scientists have come to the collective conclusion that the world is warming and that humans are the cause. They say the evidence is overwhelming. They have convinced the majority of world governments that this is the case. The scientist and the government believe that the only way to prevent a global catastrophe is to radically change the way we live and that we collectively must pay for this.
They also claim that a small number of self serving individuals mostly funded by major oil companies and supported by right wing elements in the American administration, have launched a deliberate campaign of misinformation and smears to discredit the scientific consensus and derail the process for their own gain. They carry in their wake thousands of misguided individuals who would rather believe a conspiracy theory than accept the need to change.
2) The Climate change opponents would have us believe that a small number of maverick independent scientists are resisting a global conspiracy. They say their evidence is overwhelming and that the world’s climate is not being changed by human activity. They have been aided in their fight by several major oil companies and car manufacturers who say that we are being lied to by our gevernments and that our rights are being eroded.
They also claim that a majority of the world’s scientist have conspired to create a global warming scare. They have done this for personal gain. They have been assisted in this by a majority of the world’s governments and left wing elements of the American administration for the purpose of raising taxation and keeping us in our place. They carry in their wake thousands of misguided individuals who would rather follow like sheep than seek the truth.
Apply Occam’s razor.
Whose motivation to mislead is more credible?
The rest is smoke and mirrors.
The internet has filled our lives with information, but not necessarily with facts. The truth is out there, somewhere, but often hidden in a sea of opinions and rhetoric.
So what can we do whne truth is so hard to find?
The Global warming story is a conspiracy of the internet age. In blogs and comments on thousands of website people throw insults and weblinks at each other like spears and arrows. But nobody’s armour is ever so much as dented.
“If you look at medievalwarmingperiodisbagofshite.com you’ll see I’m right!”
“You’re so gullible. I think you’ll find that if you look at hockeystickisloadofbollocks.com you’ll see I’m right”
Everyone is talking and no-one is listening. Such anger and arrogance. How can people be so certain in the face of so much noise.
Every argument has a counter argument. For every pro website there’s an anti website.
I am not a scientist. Most of the people posting and blogging are not scientists. I have neither the expertise nor the time to sift through the thousands of claims and counterclaims. Several noted individuals whose opinions I have always respected are firm advocates of climate change. Several noted individuals whose opinions I have always respected are firm opponents.
So how does the dedicated sceptic tackle such a complex subject? To act is to take sides. To do nothing is to take sides.
The answer, I think, is to step away from the detail, from the angels and the pins, and to look at the bigger picture. Is there a conspiracy and if so by whom?
I take the oldest and sharpest tool from the sceptic’s toolbox and apply it thus.
1) The Climate change advocates would have us believe that the majority of world’s scientists have come to the collective conclusion that the world is warming and that humans are the cause. They say the evidence is overwhelming. They have convinced the majority of world governments that this is the case. The scientist and the government believe that the only way to prevent a global catastrophe is to radically change the way we live and that we collectively must pay for this.
They also claim that a small number of self serving individuals mostly funded by major oil companies and supported by right wing elements in the American administration, have launched a deliberate campaign of misinformation and smears to discredit the scientific consensus and derail the process for their own gain. They carry in their wake thousands of misguided individuals who would rather believe a conspiracy theory than accept the need to change.
2) The Climate change opponents would have us believe that a small number of maverick independent scientists are resisting a global conspiracy. They say their evidence is overwhelming and that the world’s climate is not being changed by human activity. They have been aided in their fight by several major oil companies and car manufacturers who say that we are being lied to by our gevernments and that our rights are being eroded.
They also claim that a majority of the world’s scientist have conspired to create a global warming scare. They have done this for personal gain. They have been assisted in this by a majority of the world’s governments and left wing elements of the American administration for the purpose of raising taxation and keeping us in our place. They carry in their wake thousands of misguided individuals who would rather follow like sheep than seek the truth.
Apply Occam’s razor.
Whose motivation to mislead is more credible?
The rest is smoke and mirrors.
