Question by Bob: Why would anyone believe a few undistinguished “skeptics” instead of the National Academy of Sciences?
The National Academy of Sciences consists of 1800 of the nation’s top scientists. They are elected by their peers. Few of them receive funding for global warming.
The institution is over a hundred years old, and is the closest thing we’ve got to a Supreme Court of science.
Their official position is that global warming is real, and mostly caused by us. Why would anyone believe a few skeptics, instead of their position, which is well documented, and based on the work of thousands of independent scientists?
Here is their official position (the brochure requires Acrobat Reader, free download at
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)
http://dels.nas.edu/globalchange/
http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/climate_change_2008_final.pdf
Jello m- One point is that the NAS is backed by a mountain of objective scientific evidence. People aren’t pulling this stuff out of their ear.
Al Gore has absolutely nothing to do with the NAS, or their position on global warming.
Anyone who cites the ridiculous “Swindle” video, undermines their case.
Christy has stated that global warming is real and mostly caused by us. He just thinks it won’t be as bad as the NAS says. He’s not what I had in mind by “skeptic”, although still no sensible person would bet their economic well being on him being right.
Sure the data has some uncertainty. All data does. But even at the limits of its’ uncertainty, it STILL says global warming is real, and mostly caused by us.
The idea that the Sun revolved around the Earth actually shows how science (including global warming science) works.
That idea was debated UNTIL Galileo brought in proof, the phases of Venus. From that point forward there was a strong scientific consensus that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
The people that persecuted Galileo were not scientists. Much like the “skeptics” of today, they were people who denied the scientific evidence.
Best answer:
Answer by Dana1981, Master of Science
Because believing the few skeptics is the only way to maintain their denial about AGW.
What do you think? Answer below!