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Science, not politics



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Published Date: 21 July 2008
Contrary to Bruce Crichton's assertion (Letters, 18 July), communism was never about science, it was a political ideology.
The scientific method is the best and indeed the only way we have of viewing the world as it really is. Just as in the same way if I wanted to know about my health, I would ask my doctor; if I wanted to know about the health of my planet, I would ask
a scientist. The scientific consensus across every field is undeniable. If Mr Crichton has evidence to the contrary then he shouldmake it public, if not he should get off his high horse. The truth is that we need radical change across the world and that requires big market incentives such as carbon rationing.

The green movement is not about taking people back but taking people forwards. Scotland is the windiest country in Europe with one-third of Europe's wind. The potential for new industries and employment are immense. Al Gore's film, which has now been distributed to every secondary school in the UK has the title An Inconvenient Truth for a reason. It is time to get real on climate change and depleting carbon-based resources, to see the world as it really is and not how we would wish it to be.

(DR) MICHAEL STEVENS
Grange Road
Edinburgh



The full article contains 224 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 20 July 2008 8:36 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Itchy,

21/07/2008 07:41:05
Translation : "I am not a communist. I just want communism'
2

Neil,

Glasgow 21/07/2008 10:30:47
"The scientific method is the best and indeed the only way we have of viewing the world as it really is"

True.

"The scientific consensus across every field is undeniable"

Untrue on 2 points:

Firstly "consensus" is absolutely not what science is about. The scientific consensus has often been wrong, for example on phlogiston or whether metrorites ever fall from the sky.

Secondly though he is trying to pretend there is a scientific consensus on warming this is untrue. The Oregon petition has been signed by 31,000 scientists saying that there is no catastrophic warming & there are many others who have said this. Even among closely related alarmists there is no "consensus" on the extent of catastrophic warming for example the government's chief scientific adviser Sir David King believes tha the catastrophic warming will be above 30C making Antarctica the only inhabitable continent whereas the chief scientific adviser of the government Sir David King say it wil be 3 degrees.

"The green movement is not about taking people back but taking people forwards"

Untrue. Robin Harper MSP is on record as saying that the reason he supports the EU is because its bureacuracy will be able to completely stop the "continuous economic growth" he claims we are all sufering from. One may argue that he did not specificly call for a return to the caves but certainly it is impossible to accurately accuse the movement of wanting to, or even being willing to allow, people to move forward.

The scientific method which Dr Stevens promotes but does not seem to understand is that evidence & experiment not consensus are the way to truth. Consensus is the alleged way to truth in religion which is why heresy hunts occur in religion but not mathematics. That eco-fascists such as James Hansen are calling for sceptics to be tried for heresy shows where the spiritual descendents of Torquemada reside.
3

Itchy,

21/07/2008 16:43:00
~2 what a great post. You didn't miss and hit the wall.
4

James F,

East Ren 21/07/2008 21:12:14
#2
Nothing new.

#3.
Sycophant.
5

Neil,

Glasgow 22/07/2008 15:06:35
Rudeness rather than intellectual debate as ever James but you have managed it with admirable economy this time James.
6

James F,

East Ayr 22/07/2008 19:38:42
Thanks Neil. I've learned that intellectual debate is way over your head and since rudeness is the only commodity you seem to understand, well .... it's good to talk.

 

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