Well meaning idiots

[sasguru]

At last you are coming round to my way of thinking. There is more rejoicing over one sinner etc etc.

excellent

so how do we go about finding out if it is wrong, or if the theory is right.

See? You're the one who's black and white (like most IT people).
Could it not be (as I suspect) that its a combination of factors?
Common sense suggests to me that the overpopulated world spewing waste into the air, water and soil will probably have some effect on the climate.
And the scientific evidence confirms this.
And equally there may be factors external to human beings contributing.

Whatever, the fact is that humans need to change their wasteful ways and find cleaner and self-sustaining ways of maintaining their living standards. A country with a vision (not ours unfortunately) would take advantage of the economic crisis and position itself to become a leader in this area.

[BlightyBoy]

Common sense suggests to me that the overpopulated world spewing waste into the air, water and soil will probably have some effect on the climate.
And the scientific evidence confirms this.

Careful...

Yes, the overpopulated worls is spewing waste, but scientific evidence does not confirm that this causes climate change, only that the climate is indeed changing.

One does not preclude the other (scientific method??)

[lukemg]

Right, climate change (note they have ditched global warming) might well be true but there is sh@g all we can do about it.
China is opening a new coal fired powerstation per week, recycling your wine bottles is a token gesture designed to salve your middle class consciences.
We are in the carbon age which has lasted a blink of an eye in the history of the world and will be over in the forseeable future so burning fossil fuels will cease - job done on that score.
There is a simple reason why the earth is being affected by man's activity and thats because there are too bl00dy many of us on it and the ones that are, are using more and more energy per person as the world is 'westernised'. Immediate total world access to contraception is the very least we should do (European population is levelling out due to this).

[EternalOptimist]

See? You're the one who's black and white (like most IT people).
Could it not be (as I suspect) that its a combination of factors?
Common sense suggests to me that the overpopulated world spewing waste into the air, water and soil will probably have some effect on the climate.
And the scientific evidence confirms this.
And equally there may be factors external to human beings contributing.

Whatever, the fact is that humans need to change their wasteful ways and find cleaner and self-sustaining ways of maintaining their living standards. A country with a vision (not ours unfortunately) would take advantage of the economic crisis and position itself to become a leader in this area.

we are talking about science here. Your comon sense is a collection of all the prejudices you had by the time you were 18 (A Einstein)

[Foxy Moron]

I'm not saying that contemporary theories are invalid, but historically this has always been a bit of band-wagon for those with other agendas.

One thing for sure, misunderstanding scientific conclusions/advice can have an adverse effect. Remember the Daily Mail encouraging parents not to give their children MMR vaccines because of a possible link to Autism?
The medical community warned against not vaccinating children, but the public followed the ill informed media campaign which resulted in an outbreak of measles not seen for decades.

If I some medical advice I go to a medical scientist not a Journalist

[BlightyBoy]

There are no global climate experiments, so scientists use modelling instead.

So the answer is, there is no answer, only more questions.

Modelling (simulation) is like statistics and can be used to prove or disprove anything.

[sasguru]

I will say it again, just for you.
There are no global climate experiments, so scientists use modelling instead.

1. To have a global climate experiment, you'd have to have a spare globe

2. Modelling is one way of experimentation when you can't do it in the real world. If you've studied probability (which clearly you have not) it's one of the ways used to demonstrate concepts in the real world.
However you are right that the models have to be valid.

[sasguru]

.

Modelling (simulation) is like statistics and can be used to prove or disprove anything.

A cliched statement used by the statistically ignorant.

[TimberWolf]

See? You're the one who's black and white (like most IT people).
Could it not be (as I suspect) that its a combination of factors?
Common sense suggests to me that the overpopulated world spewing waste into the air, water and soil will probably have some effect on the climate.
And the scientific evidence confirms this.
And equally there may be factors external to human beings contributing.

Whatever, the fact is that humans need to change their wasteful ways and find cleaner and self-sustaining ways of maintaining their living standards. A country with a vision (not ours unfortunately) would take advantage of the economic crisis and position itself to become a leader in this area.

Agreed, now is an opportunity to work on a massive programme of public works, including building the Severn Barrage, nukes, wind farms, and use of newer technologies such as the Super highway instead of the tarmac highway. Population size also needs to be addressed globally and here as, if not, some resource or other will be depleted. I'm not sure the UK can operate sustainably with its current population.

[EternalOptimist]

A cliched statement used by the statistically ignorant.

an insulting statement used by the intellectually-anorexic