Why are some people so persistent that global warming isn't real???

Question

...especially when there is so much proof that it is.

Does anybody have any strong evidence (and sources) for either position?

Answer 1

Hey, Christina: You've got some really great answers already, and I would also add that the next question after yours is: what would be the harm in all of us taking steps to leave the planet cleaner and less toxic than when we got here? In other words, whether or not you believe in global warming, think we're responsible or like Al Gore, is it too hard to recycle, change your light bulbs, get a programmable thermostat, drive a car that gets better mileage? After all, it will save you money as well.

Answer 2

As someone already said, global warming is real, but what is debated is what's causing it, and what the consequences may be. On the 'Al Gore and friends' side you have people that believe its man made CO2 that's causing it, and the consequences are to be dire, end of the world kind of stuff. On the other side you have people with theories for other causes for the warming, and/or don't believe that warming will be so detrimental to us.

It shouldn't be alarming that people are skeptical. That's how true science works. It works by asking questions. A previous poster mentioned that the doubters of this theory are an indication that we're still the same as people back in medieval times who doubted that the world revolved around the sun. Well, look at it this way. The people that proved the world does revolve around the sun were doubters of the commonly held idea that the sun revolved around the world. It is exactly by doubting things that science progresses. The arguments against the CO2 idea are not due to the panic driven fears of people afraid to accept truth, they are sensible questions, with firm grounding, designed to further our understanding of what's really happening.

But because the global warming issue is so political, people who doubt the CO2 theory in the name of science are mocked, scorned, and ridiculed, and some previous posts exemplify that well.

Answer 3

Any evidence for either position has many problems when it comes to proof positive. The computer models used to predict weather and global warming break down after a few days. To test any program trying to predict the future, you need only run the program in reverse to test it. If it cannot bring you back to the present, then you cannot accurately predict the future. While global warming is generally accepted as a fact, the exact effects are allways being debated. Every expert has his or her own reasons to try to prove their theory correct. Some are for pride and some are for career. Being able to predict exactly what will happen is not as important as finding ways to prevent the worst damages and changes to our little world.

Answer 4

The earth has gone through many cycles of cooling and warming, and this is one of the warming cycles. No one should deny that the earth is getting warmer - but neither should anyone jump on the panic bandwagon.

Data as to the source of the warming is being slanted left, right, forward and backward. Man may be contributing to this warming cycle, but how much? How much warming is cause for concern? The earth's temperature cycle has never been level...

I try to look at situations as objectively as possible. I have some concerns, but I'm not freaked out just yet.

Answer 5

We read about how medievalists attacked thinkers who wondered if the Earth orbited the sun, or that there could be life on other planets, and we smugly laugh that we're so much more advanced than these ignorants and we listen to scientific reason today. But we haven't really changed much.

When faced with claims that seem outrageous and upsetting to us, we still react first with denial, and then anger, and then "bargaining", which is expressed by "coming up with contrafactual evidence" against the claims that's upsetting us. Why do we do this? Because when particularly distressed, we go bananas, that's why. We understand that, if true, global warming has enormous implications for us, both in terms of consequences and in terms of political fallout (what actions should be implemented, who enforces what implementations, who pays?), so it's just easier to deny it all and hope the problem will just go away. Now that the majority of the people are starting to be persuaded that it is a real problem, the remaining doubters are becoming ever more strident and angry. It's human nature.

Addendum: I read oldtimer's suggestion that we ought to be able to "run computer scenarios backwards to see if they're correct". This overlooks the obvious fact that many physical processes are irreversible, i.e. time assymetric. The curious thing is that the majority of integral-differential equations of physics are time-symmetric, but when you employ FEA methods in computer simulations, you frequently end up with time evolution of states that are not reversible. Indeed, this is one of the few practical ways we have to analyze time-assymetric physical processes, because ordinary equations of physics are unable to describe them adequately.

Answer 6

People frequently argue out of ignorance. We come to know the truth, in so far as it can be known, by either accepting the authority of others or as a result of our own research and conclusions. I know of no other way to arrive at human understanding. The evidence you speak of is a combination of scientific work conducted over many decades now together with observational data which backs up the science. I believe Vice President Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" does a very credible job of presenting these observations and science and highly recommend you see it. It is available on DVD. I also highly recommend the books by James Lovelock, who coined the terms "Gaia" and "Gaia theory". Dr. Lovelock has written several books including "Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth" and his most recent "The Revenge of Gaia: Earth's Climate Crisis and The Fate of Humanity". It is this latter book I would highly recommend to all the readers of this note. Once you have all the facts you can then decide for yourself and if you conclude on the side of science then there is the moral imperitive of what can I do to stem this catastrophe?

Answer 7

The Great Global Warming Swindle is a recent UK documentary that shoots down all the Gore style BS.
Did you know that Mar's ice is melting at an alarming rate? Maybe they are driving their Martian cars with no emission controls???..

Answer 8

the entire world knows from living day to day and seeing the results --and if they are actually blind--they can feel the warmth of global warming. Some types of people have such a fear of the horrible they deny-deny, and deny.

Answer 9

I think most people concede that the earth is warming up. However, people can't agree that its man-made. Remember there was an ice age on the earth and that melted without any interference from man.

Answer 10

They either make money from saying that, or don't want to accept it.