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Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic?
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Please reply with where you stand on the Theory of Global Warming;

Mojozenmaster: Skeptic


**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**
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Re: Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic? [mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the subject line: "Theory of Global Warming"(the theory part), but it's not really a dealbreaker and I don't even know exactly what bothers me about it ;).

Could I suggest adding a little explanation to the vote? It will be interesting to consider the reasoning as well as the viewpoint.

ashayk: believer
Why?: Preponderence of scientific evidence as outlined(in one of many places) in the recently published review by the National Academy of Sciences.
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Re: Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic? [mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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"where you stand on the Theory of Global Warming"

as in the cases of the theories of evolution, the heliocentric solar system, and the bad effects of cigarette smoke, i support the idea that the earth is warming; mostly due to man's acts; and that the arc of the increase in temperature is of decreasing radius.

but i hold out the possibility that perfectly healthy smokers descended from adam and eve are living on a planet immune from our bad acts, and everything revolves around us.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic? [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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For better or worse, I think that one's stance on global warming says more about him/her than it does about the theory. Like evolution, links between cancer/smoking, WMDs, the existence of God, seatbelts save lives, etc., it becomes a convenient epistemological question which exists only to dignify one's willingness to shape one's perception of facts to one's beliefs, rather than the converse. That is, the level of complexity of certain phenomena, combined with the inherent unknowability present in any sort of intellectual endeavor (which explains the 95% or 99% level of confidence, rather than the impossible 100%), gives people plenty of room to doubt, if it is already in their interest/nature to do so.

Nobody can "prove" that smoking causes lung cancer, because the causes of cancer are so complicated and individual that proof in the traditional sense of certainty is impossible. But what would you think about somebody who vigorously doubted this link? Or with evolution - pretty much every piece of biological investigation has proven it beyond a reasonable doubt, but doubters who have a vested interest in preserving their worldview can always argue that it's untrue, because nobody alive witnessed our transition from ape to man.

Basically, you get to this point where no amount of facts can convince some people, because they will hold the threshold of belief so high that practically nothing can achieve it. What's particularly troubling is that I strongly doubt they hold everything in their lives to this level of certainty, which suggests that they pick and choose what they want to believe, regardless of the evidence. At that point you are forced to question one's reliability as a reader of facts, and suggest that perhaps at some point the views of some are simply invalid and more an artifact of poor judgment, cognitive ability and lack of introspection than a reflection of the truth.


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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"
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Re: Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic? [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Damn, Dan! That sounds like a mighty fine peyote buzz you got going there.
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Re: Poll: On the Theory of Global Warming; Supporter or Skeptic? [mojozenmaster] [ In reply to ]
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Neither? I remain unconvinced but I also believe the potential price of not taking action is not something to gamble with...

ot
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