I’ve always tried to just take things as they come and give them the sniff test. If it smells a tad ‘dodgy’ as the Brits would say, it probably is. And usually when people talk in absolutes, they probably don’t know what they are talking about.
- The world ends tomorrow
- All Muslims are evil
- All non-Muslims are evil
- All war is bad
- All politicians lie (well maybe this one is ok)
- All garages lose at least 20% of their revenue
- All dogs bite
- All (Republicans, Democrats) are bad people
- The Science is settled
- All fat people are unhealthy
So you get the idea. Absolutes bring skepticism, at least to me. So when a blogger holds a position and says ‘that’s the way it is,’ I am immediately look for a way to push back. Casey over at Parking Matters and I have been going back and forth over sustainability and the efficacy of climate change and the like. Casey takes the position that this is ‘settled science’ and I take a skeptical approach. I listed some links and he came back with other links and like that. Fair enough. (You can click on “Parking Matters” on the column to the left.)
However I did want to add one more link which I found very compelling. Here is a link to a site from Germany, written by an American, that takes a contrarian position on climate change, and its pretty well thought out. The link is to one entry by a German meteorologist who is fairly blunt in his position. Take a moment to read it. Granted there are arguments on all sides, but to say that the science is settled is a flag to a skeptic like moi.
Here is a quote from the German Meteorologist:
There’s nothing we can do to stop it. Scientifically it is sheer absurdity to think we can get a nice climate by turning a CO2 adjustment knob. Many confuse environmental protection with climate protection. it’s impossible to protect the climate, but we can protect the environment and our drinking water. On the debate concerning alternative energies, which is sensible, it is often driven by the irrational climate debate. One has nothing to do with the other.
So, be good stewards of our environment, protect our drinking water and our air, invest where it will make a real difference, and we will have the best possible world in which to live. Invest trillions and destroy entire economies based on panic seems to me to be a fools errand.
JVH
