Global Warming Skeptics have no Credibility with the Intelligensia

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Global Warming Skeptics have no Credibility with the Intelligensia

Some people claim that the tea party movement will not gain traction with intelligent people as long as we remain skeptical of Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW). I find this claim to be elitist and condescending.

Case in point: I hold a degree in mathematics and physics. I am a lifelong student of science and the philosophy of science. I know how scientific knowledge is obtained. I also know how it can be corrupted. It is for precisely these reasons that I am skeptical of AGW. AGW is the proposed theory that humans are responsible for the phenomenon formerly known as "global warming". The notion that "the science is settled", or that there is "consensus" is historically ignorant.

We thought that the science was "settled" when Isaac Newton's laws of motion and gravity were "proved". Physics was considered a dead science until some unexplainable phenomena inspired Albert Einstein to blow the whole thing wide open again in 1905. About the same time, quantum theory threw some monkey wrenches into Einstein's work, as well as further revolutionizing physics, chemistry and cosmology. Relativity and quantum theory are approximately 100 years old, and they are still not "settled". The standard model was agreed upon by "consensus", and yet ongoing research pokes inconvenient holes in it. It works, if you watch where you step. Fortunately, the government hasn't passed any laws based on the standard model. Yet.

String theory is the latest twist on quantum theory, and it appears to be going nowhere. Renowned physicist Lee Smolin wrote a book about it: The Trouble with Physics. Do you know what it's about? It's about the politicization of science. Not at the government level, but at the university level. String theory is the "cool" science, on the cutting edge. The best grants, the best teaching positions, and the best students get to work on string theory. The trouble is, there are huge problems with string theory. It hasn't made any real progress in 20 years. But the best minds continue to hammer away at this concept, leaving other avenues unexplored because there isn't any money or prestige in them.

I would argue that AGW suffers from the same trouble -- only worse because of the "real political" aspect of it: The climate is always changing, except now statists have secured "science" to tax us for it. Climategate came as no surprise to me. In fact, it is the natural conclusion: Big government, big power, big money, big corruption -- in that order.

The AGW hypothesis suffers from one very serious problem: There is no way to test whether the assumptions (and hence the predictions of this theory) are actually true, and by how much. Computer models are not experiments! The best minds in the field -- if they were honest -- would have to admit that.

But I saved the best for last: Even if AGW was demonstrably true, it is not the role of the American Republic (thanks to the Constitution) to coerce everyone to fall into line. It is the true believers' job (via the first amendment) to convince everyone to fall into line of their own free will. See the difference?

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The Only Question You Need

"Which article of the Constitution gives government the authority to do that?"

If more and more people start asking this question, I think most of our worst political problems, in all branches and all levels of government would go away by themselves, almost overnight. When a reporter asked Nancy Pelosi that question about the healthcare bill, her deer-in-the-headlights response was, "Are you serious?" Well, we are serious, and politicians should be afraid to step out of their offices without a credible answer to that question. It is the only "litmus test" that we need.

It really takes so little effort, that it is at least worth a try. The beauty of it is, this really should appeal to honest people from anywhere on the political spectrum.

Uphold and Defend

Big government and bad policy, usurpation of authority not granted in the US Constitution is human nature. Republicans and Democrats are both guilty. We the People must realize that this is not a partisan issue, and demand that all of our politicians follow the Constitution.

The US Constitution is still the official specification for the United States of America.
It guarantees equal justice for all, and protects your life, liberty and prosperity.
Any regime that distorts or disregards its original intent is untrustworthy and dangerous.

Presidential Quotes

The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits. ~ Thomas Jefferson

With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators. ~ James Madison

I think we can say that the Constitution reflected an enormous blind spot in this culture that carries on to this day and that the Framers had that same blind spot. I don't think the two views are contradictory to say that it was a remarkable political document, that paved the way for where we are now, and to say it also reflected the fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day. ~ Barack Obama

Every word [of the Constitution] decides a question between power and liberty. ~ James Madison

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington

Do You Still Have All of the Liberty That You Were Born With?

Think back to when you were growing up. What things could you do then that you can no longer do now? What things did you have the liberty to decide for yourself that is now a mandate? How many federal, state and local laws were passed since you were born? How many new bureaucracies and agencies have been created since you were born? How many new regulations have they imposed? How many tax increases have you seen in your lifetime? How many new government programs have replaced your ability to do it yourself? (more...)

Kakistocracy Report

Thursday, January 21, 2010