Comments on: I'm skeptical of denialism

By: BIGTIX

BIGTIX — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:41:42 +0000

The notion of a CO2 influence on earth’s climate, continually tested and proven through nearly a century of primary research.
About CO2 and its effects, THE MAIN QUESTION IS HOW LARGE IT IS.
To debate the notion that CO2 as a gas traps outgoing infrared radiation, hence leading to a greenhouse effect, is a refutation of basic physics.
Carbon dioxide is produced under certain conditions.
In practice, sources of carbon dioxide, including that resulting from natural or human factors, they do not produce pure carbon dioxide, for example, forest fires, volcanic activities and incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, etc.
CO2 mainly is associated with soot and aerosols.
However, the formation of soot or Black Carbon (BC) seems to be influential in climate change.
Black Carbon gives a short-term, but powerful boost to heating the planet. It is a “short-term” Climate Forcer, acting for a few days in the atmosphere and a few months on snow and ice.
So, reductions in BC have immediate, but not long-term effects on global warming. Each CO2 molecule continues to block heat loss from the Earth for YEARS (http://c3headlines.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b58035970c0120a5e507c9970c-pi) that it stays in the atmosphere. That is why sometimes CO2 is known as the Biggest Control Knob for the climate.
Finally, about the greenhouse effect and increase in atmospheric temperature per 20 ppm increment in CO2
(http://c3headlines.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b58035970c0115707ce438970b-pi).

By: Al Mohler on Adam and Eve vs. The Facts | slacktivist

Al Mohler on Adam and Eve vs. The Facts | slacktivist — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 19:59:08 +0000

[...] commentsPhil Plait just linked back to a 2009 post of his that’s a favorite of mine. “I’m skeptical of denialism” discusses the important distinction between a skeptic and a denier.It’s helpful to [...]

By: Helena

Helena — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:45:27 +0000

Denialist – a person who refuses to admit the truth of a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence.

Scepticism – a sceptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.

By: Damon

Damon — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:17:18 +0000

Sorry SLC, but you won’t get away with your snide little distractionist comments that easily. Alien Visitations / Abductions are a highly documented and widely experienced phenomenon. You mat scoff, but I can think of hundreds of thousands of folks who would like to have a chat with you. Who is really guilty of believing dumb things: the guy who believes in the supernatural or the guy who ignores him without doing as research of his own? Shame on you. As for this J. Alen Hynek person, I hadn’t heard of him until you mentioned the name, but am now very fascinated and plan to study his research and add his voice to my internal repertoire of data.

By: Bill Storm

Bill Storm — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:47:32 +0000

I will own the “fact” that there are a fair number of ideas/suppositions in which I believe for which I have little or no supporting evidence, yet I still classify myself as an empiricist. Why? Because I will never, ever, allow myself the narcissistic luxury of defending those ideas/suppositions in an effort to get someone else to believe them. In fact, whenever I state something someone is expected to accept (or have presented “facts” to students or colleagues), I imagine myself being asked, “So exactly WHY should I believe you?” and I’m frightened by the idea I may have mislaid the evidence I needed for just such an occasion.

That said, I am slow to accept evidence, but once it’s in and digested, I’m quick to give up unsupported inferences. That is skepticism. Our planet and species will be damaged by the Deniers because they will never accept the consequences of their denial, even after the evidence of the predicted disastrous outcome is no longer in the future. Then they will believe it’s someone else’s fault for not having been sufficiently convincing in the first place.

By: A criticism of global warming science defenders | The Thinker

A criticism of global warming science defenders | The Thinker — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:04:56 +0000

[...] a long time now, many defenders of global warming science (e.g., Phil Plait) have been using the phrase “global warming denier” to intentionally put certain people [...]

By: James Morrison

James Morrison — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:40:33 +0000

Sorry, but you are the one in denial, CERN has good scientific practice, unlike the closed door dishonest, nepotistic & obfuscated IPCC approach. (how much has the railway engineer, his family & cronies made out of the gullibility of others).
How much has the high priest Al Gore made, & why is it rumoured that He’s spent $M’s on beachfront condo’s with apocalyptic sea level rises looming?

One could extrapolate the discussion (not by much) and state that Nazi party policy & propaganda was peer reviewed (by other members of said insidious party) and deemed as being good, honest, wholesome and truthful without the factual & moral input from ‘outsiders’ ‘heretics’ ‘deniers’ or whatever they (or you) decide to bandy about as an insult next.

The evidence is not overwhelming, I am far from convinced, but please carry on trying, as I’m not a flat Earther with a closed bigotted mind, convinced that ‘the science is over’ – it NEVER is….. we haven’t even got as far as a GUT yet!

By: Bee Kay

Bee Kay — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:52:48 +0000

Anybody wonder what we were orginally discussing? Language.
Not global warming, politics and pragmatism, or the other nine million tangents people have written.

Denier – a four year old, covered in lipstick, saying “No mommy, I have not been in your makeup.”

Skeptic – The parent, trying to create scenarios where this could actually be the truth, and not coming up with any tangible evidence.

Silence is golden – the older sibling going all 5th amendment, in order to prevent the proverbial book being thrown at him/her- for letting it happen and/or causing it to happen.

By: Al Mohler on Adam and Eve vs. The Facts | slacktivist

Al Mohler on Adam and Eve vs. The Facts | slacktivist — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:02:48 +0000

[...] pm TweetPhil Plait just linked back to a 2009 post of his that’s a favorite of mine. “I’m skeptical of denialism” discusses the important distinction between a skeptic and a denier.It’s helpful to [...]

By: Denialism in the Mainstream: Forbes Big Player in Lies About Global Warming | feasiblegreen.com

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:19:01 +0000

[...] otherwise uneducated group of conspiracy theorists and fundamental shirkers of legitimate science (the shoe fits). Mediamatters.org has reported four stories that Forbes has published regarding what looks like [...]