Toss the Skeptic a Bone

A friendly, "Hello," to all. James, here, the new contributor to this fine blog. More on my (sleep-inducing) background later. You'll find fairly quickly that I'm less well-read or erudite as my fellow writer, Secundus Paulinus (whom I will refer to as SP from this point forward - at least until he berates me for arbitrarily pulling acronyms from thin air). I don't even have as slick of a handle as he does. Nevertheless, I hope to contribute for a long time and start with this humble piece just to get my toes wet. SP can then chase me around with a steel bat for taking forever to write something.

I turn our attention to climate change. It's a popular topic receiving coverage in many of the media outlets whether televised, blogged, or published. There is an international panel devoted to this phenomena as a branch of the United Nation's Environment Program(me). Would-be prophets like Al Gore regularly tour the country on a regular basis warning all of the impending doom of climate change.

But has anyone ever stopped to think, "Is this right?"

Opponents, skeptics, and even individuals who aren't completely sold on climate change are made out to be fools, lunatics and "Holocaust-deniers". Harsh words for ordinary people who approach it with a dose of healthy skepticism! To liken these people to someone like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who believes the Holocaust to be nothing but the product of Zionist conspirators is just a bit of a stretch, no?

My point is simply this - it would be worthwhile to hear out the climate change skeptics in the arena of scientific research and public debate. Marginalizing or minimizing the legitimacy of their arguments is unwise and scientifically unhealthy. SP has written (quite extensively) on the holes appearing in the climate change proponent arguments. The leak from the University of East Anglia has only punched through the chink in their armor and has shown that the discussion is not over. Patience, time, respect, and more research is needed before we can come to firmer conclusions.