Archive for the ‘Skepticism’ Category
Scientific Alliance: Popper versus Kuhn on Climate Science
Posted at 10:03 pm | Filed Under Science, Skepticism, Viewpoint, climate science
This just came in from the Scientific Alliance, and I thought it was so good it should be reproduced for posterity:
Time for a new paradigm on climate change?
There are two alternative ways to look at how science progresses. In one corner is the concept of the falsifiable hypothesis, credited to Karl Popper. Popper argued that [...]
2012: Why are we so afraid of the future?
Posted at 2:07 pm | Filed Under Michael Crichton, Skepticism, Viewpoint, environmentalism
It’s a truism that films about the future are more about people’s current attitudes and fears projected into the future than real predictions.
And the next, greatest disaster movie 2012 by Roland Emmerich is no exception. It’s really the message of extreme environmentalism that we humans are sinning against nature and Mother Earth and one day [...]
Ocean Acidification: A significant change or just noise?
Posted at 10:29 am | Filed Under Science, Skepticism, climate science
Are the oceans acidifying? Compare and contrast the claim with people who actually know the limitations of measurement.
First, the claim from Chemical & Engineering News [with my emphasis] published by the American Chemical Society:
Clarion Call For Marine Life
Global CO2 emissions must be cut enough to halt ocean acidification, science panel warns
Cheryl Hogue
The new climate-change treaty [...]
Fusion Power, Climate Change and Pascal’s Wager
Posted at 9:42 pm | Filed Under BBC, Religion, Skepticism, Uncategorized, Viewpoint, WeatherAction, Webcomics, climate science, environmentalism
This post may seem a little schizophrenic, but bear with me.
The BBC website, also known as the media arm of Environmental Panic Inc., produced a fascinating article on the struggle to fund the next experimental setup to produce fusion power.
An international plan to build a nuclear fusion reactor is being threatened by rising costs, delays [...]
The debate within science, heretics and scientific consensus
Posted at 1:06 pm | Filed Under Science, Skepticism
There will be quite a few posts in the near future on the subject of the scientific process, but the recent article from the Scientific Alliance on how scientific consensuses form and how they can impede scientific progress for years is a good primer:
The scientific method is a valuable way to advance objective knowledge. By [...]
It’s the end of the world as we know it…
Posted at 4:21 am | Filed Under Religion, Skepticism, environmentalism
My wife found this, but it’s probably the tip of a (rapidly melting) iceberg:
Revelation 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these [...]
The Winner’s Curse
Posted at 2:07 am | Filed Under Skepticism, climate science
This is an interesting article from The Economist, about a survey done by Greek researchers into scientific publishing.
IN ECONOMIC theory the winner’s curse refers to the idea that someone who places the winning bid in an auction may have paid too much. Consider, for example, bids to develop an oil field. Most of the offers [...]
Hands up who wants to live in an eco-slum!
Posted at 12:08 pm | Filed Under Skepticism, Viewpoint, environmentalism
These articles could be subtitled “I knew I was right all along” and “since when did the Conservatives start producing recognizably useful and voter friendly policies?”
Who would have guessed that in 2008, a pledge to give British people flushing toilets would be a shock vote winner?
The Conservatives this week promised to scrap the Government’s plans [...]
Piers Corbyn: Result #1
Posted at 2:40 am | Filed Under Skepticism, WeatherAction
Well Piers did forecast a hurricane would form between the 18th and 22nd June, and as we can see from this Hurricane and Storm Tracking site, there are no storms at all.
Nada, zip, zilch.
So my verdict on Piers’ first hurricane prediction is: FALSE
Bob Carter: The AGW Global Gravy Train
Posted at 2:12 am | Filed Under Skepticism, Viewpoint, climate science, environmentalism
Life’s pretty exciting these days when you’re a climate researcher, a lobbyist or an environmental activist. There’s a neverending schedule of conferences on climate change around the world to attend.
It’s a shame that very little science actually goes on at these conferences. Just lots and lots of shoulder-rubbing with politicians, scientists, writers, activists and the [...]