Science Policy and Public Awareness

I'd say it's failed the same way as many other things... Take smoking, for example. Physicians, science, and even the government have told people about the health dangers of smoking for longer than i've been alive, and yet there are still a ton of people smoking, with more people starting all the time. granted, we've made some headway in this (currently, i think it's estimated at around 20% of the population smokes, versus 23% in 2001), but one would think we could have made more.

Energy use, pollution, etc is, IMO, as addictive as smoking. People drive their big SUV's because they feel they need to. The same way a smoker feels he/she needs to. And people, simply put, want to preserve their way of life. they don't like change. It's much easier to say "global warming is a hoax" as part of an explanation for driving an SUV than it is to change your habits and your way of life simply because the "experts" told you it's having a negative effect on something to can't really see day to day.

(Oh, and while i'm making excuses for them in this post, i completely believe in man made global warming, and in doing what we can, as consumers, to reduce it)

 

There is also a component of misinformation. This is intentional from the industries that find scientific findings inconvenient, e.i., oil companies and climate change. It is misguided from the news organization that give equal time to people like Inhofe and real scientists. This gives the appearance of a controversy where there is none.

 

The misinformation is aided by the fact that science tends to state its findings carefully, exaggeration being contrary to good science. Furthermore, the stories the two side are telling have very different strengths, i.e., 1) Science = Global warming is caused by complex factors and may result in etc., as opposed to 2) Oil companies = Global warming is a myth. You can't predict the weather. Can your weatherman? Don't worry about it.

The story scientists have to communicate about Global Warming is vastly more complex than the placebo offered by the oil companies. And they don't have the marketing budget behind it either. Global Warming as a myth is much easier to tell and more comforting to believe in, and is perpetuated by people who are mostly concerned about their money. It's no wonder science has been so battered in the debate.

 

Unfortunately, this is one instance where Occam's razor proves to be wrong.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Nov 28 2006, 03:49 PM) [snapback]354897[/snapback]</div>

Indeed. I live in Chicago, and at least once a year, there's some lunkheaded guest editorial in the Chicago Tribune, usually a hefty quarter page, that equates global warming to local weather, written by some business person (a vice president of stone container corp comes to mind).

I wasn't trying to say the Global Warming story has to be complex -- An Inconvenient Truth does a nice job of rendering the evidence clearly. I was merely trying to point out that the argument is naturally balanced against science, in that you have businesses with lots of money to devote to propaganda and outright LIES versus scientists who tend to be sticklers for stating what is known and not more.

I mean, look at the evidence for evolution and the large portion of our society who believe in creationism. It's no wonder it's taken 30 years, melting ice caps, and Katrina to penentrate the "Global Warming Myth" that is still being spun by the oil companies.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Nov, 01:15 PM) [snapback]354935[/snapback]</div>

Like the Wall Street Journal, for instance.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Nov 28 2006, 04:15 PM) [snapback]354935[/snapback]</div>

It may take an equally long time for people to come around to the realization that global warming is a myth almost like creationism is?

Speaking of Katrina - huge huricane season we had, no? I mean how many were there? :lol: "They were predicting how many 16 or 18 or 20 :lol:

You watch Monday Night Football last night - all that snow, could not see the field well could you?

And, how do you know that evolution was not part of creationism?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Nov, 01:32 PM) [snapback]354941[/snapback]</div>

Who predicted this? Your source, please.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Nov 28 2006, 04:15 PM) [snapback]354935[/snapback]</div>

We're a funny society. We Loooove technology, but HATE science. Most people don't even know the difference between astrology and astronomy - all you need is one cold day and the Climate Change is a Myth lunkheads think they "proved" their argument.

 

people love a good conspiracy theory too.

mention the word "conspiracy" along with global warming, and all of a sudden it's all a cover-up. h34r:

i do think science needs a better PR group to inform the majority of the world who are not scientists, though. global warming isn't the only issue this applies to...

 

OMG OMG OMG... there was snow on the ground during a football game in a northern climate at the end of November? You've gotta be kidding me. I can't believe it. Global warming must be a bald faced lie being shoved in my face by someone with their own agenda. It just has to be.

honestly, i love using one 3 hour football game to predict a global problem - way to go doberman. Global warming doesn't predict jack on the micro scale - it could snow here tomorrow and it wouldn't effect global warming one bit. instead, it goes macro, by examining temperature averages over time. I know, for a fact, that the winters have been generally warmer with less snow the past few years than they were in my childhood. I think that supports global warming a lot more than your "it was snowing during the monday night football game!" statement refutes it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Nov 28 2006, 03:32 PM) [snapback]354941[/snapback]</div>

Have you checked out the typhoon action in the Pacific?

Full article here http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200611290403.htm

Now we know where all those tobacco company "scientists" are spending their days lately.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Nov 28 2006, 04:41 PM) [snapback]354950[/snapback]</div>

How many storms did "they" predict? None?? How many were there???????

And OMG - typhoons! Like we have not had huricanes as typhoons during the past millenium - but now, now they must be all due to global warming :lol:

What's your source for predicting the exact amount of storms we had this year??

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Nov, 02:02 PM) [snapback]354967[/snapback]</div>

According to you, "they" predicted 16 or 18 or 20. Now produce your source.

 

LOL typical doberman arguing... instead of answering the question, he puts words in other peoples mouths and asks them the same question :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Nov, 02:20 PM) [snapback]354971[/snapback]</div>

He can't answer it because he made it up.

 

If one looks at Dr. Berman's posting history, two things stand out in the context of this thread. First, if memory serves me correctly, he felt that much of the problems of Katrina were within the residents of New Orleans themselves. Second, he has mentioned several times that he has lost friends and patients on 9/11. Now since he hasn't posted his location, based on his loss of patients and friends in 9/11, I suspect he has his practice in the NY City area.

Now with this in mind, given that when global warming reaches its tipping point, which Dr Berman does not believe in, and he now needs SCUBA gear to reach his office due to the fact that it's now 20 feet below sea level. Should we feel compasion for the good doctor, or blame him?

But being the good liberal, I will feel compassion, and Dr. when your office is completely under water, please feel free to come to Minnesota, we'll still be high and dry, and if you don't like the winters, our retirement home in the Philippines is also above the max water height.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tleonhar @ Nov 28 2006, 11:43 PM) [snapback]355119[/snapback]</div>

Wait! That explains everything! Don't forget the Pentagon was also hit on 9/11 - so obviously what he's a "doctor" of is being a spin doctor in Washington, D.C.

Of course, D.C. is also on the coast, so he'll still need your SCUBA gear.