Hagoth wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 6:32 am
The thing conspiracy theorists have in common is that whatever the topic: climate, age of earth, shape of earth, evolution denial...
they are all similarly convinced that the scientific consensus on their particular topic is some kind of unfounded religion-like mutual agreement between millions of people who share some sinister intent and they
rally behind the 1% who see it their way.
They never want to talk about how frequently the scientific consensus was right.
They never want to talk about how periods of uncertainty and disagreement were generally resolved once results were universally replicated, or when
sufficient evidence was finally obtained to put the matter to rest.
Maybe we should split this thread into parts and pieces.
I think that some of your concerns or points made above can be split off and discussed as part of a process. You have successfully and succinctly highlighted most of the primary issues I have with this discussion and with others. I think that the approach above, as a process, could be applied to other topics, including January 6th, elections, electric vehicles, Trump, Hunter Biden, and TLC shows about hoarders and fat people.
- - - - Moderators, feel free to edit, split, or hide this conversation - - - -
I want to work backwards on this.
sufficient evidence was finally obtained to put the matter to rest
It does not take a conspiracy theorist or ideology to see that there is actually not enough evidence to put this to rest. Climate science is still relying on models and not empirical evidence. We don't have the benefit of billions of years of evidence. There is still an amount of speculation in the models and in the interpretation of data. The ice in Antarctica is increasing in places, and has a massive growth since 1980. The opposite may be true in the Arctic. There is not a consensus on the interpretation of that data. And yet...on to the next point...
They never want to talk about how periods of uncertainty and disagreement were generally resolved once results were universally replicated
In the case of climate change, the results can't be universally replicated. This reminds me of that awesome Steven Wright joke. "I have a map of the world, it is actual size." This concept does not only apply to climate change. Take the pandemic and vaccines, for example. How in the actual F-ing F, can one universally replicate that bullshit? Start another pandemic and universally replicate the scenario? What you have done is also common in these conversations, and my point is not personal, rather, it is an acknowledgment of what I see as a fact - this is a team sport. They!!!! They, they, they, they, they, they they they they they they. Who is they in this process? Is it me? Is it Dirty Bird? Is it an actual scientist or mathematician who can model data and information? Who is they? And why is it that they have to be marginalized or put in a box for not not being they or being they?
In many cases, the projection that this band of they does not want something, is in fact the exact opposite. The non-they group may want their assumptions or models or data to be accepted as universally resolved without a challenge. This positioning is a halt to the process where the thinking and the science has already been done - even if it ain't.
They never want to talk about how frequently the scientific consensus was right.
This is where the credibility goes completely to hell in this process. This relies on the previously discussed undefined they. It generalizes they as all the same. And, of course it is not plausible that they collectively never want to do anything. But more... it does not matter how often the consensus is right, even if it is a lot. The point is, advancement relies on finding the cases where the consensus is incorrect and addressing that. This team approach to the benefit of doubt where the consensus is mostly right and good enough is not only not interesting to me - it is an abusive and negligent threat to the process.
I would not have drafted and applied and been granted a utility patent that relies on math and science if I thought the consensus was good enough. The US patent office grants almost 6k patents a week to people who are constantly pushing for solutions beyond the consensus. Patents, including patents in science, rely on secrecy where there is not public disclosure. If the frequency of scientific consensus was good enough... we would just now be looking for a Vietnamese restaurant in the yellow pages that is open 7 days closed Monday and maybe we could get a notice on our pagers that our table is ready.
they are all similarly convinced that the scientific consensus on their particular topic is some kind of unfounded religion-like mutual agreement between millions of people who share some sinister intent and they rally behind the 1% who see it their way.
Well. There is a credibility issue here. While it may be slightly different with climate change, the process you are describing and applying is consistent. Teams, ad hominen, stereotype, all that goes into making this about they is right there. Dirty Bird is doing that too, by the way, do not think this is personal. But there is a big problem... those accusing one side of being religion-like, or ideological, are doing exactly that.
It comes down to this, really. If you lie about me, I may not know. If you lie to me, I may not know. If you lie to me about me, I know. This is where this all goes to shit and the reactions and responses become more interesting than the subject matter or facts.