Phony Science for Phony Policies
I was browsing Capitalism Magazine and found two articles that sparked my interest. The first one is about the phony science behind the second-hand smoke claims. The second is about the hyped up science behind global-warming. What is most interesting is how both issues tie into each other.
Both stories show you how people are trying to use the government to force their choices and beliefs onto other people. What is most troubling about this is how they are committing fraud and getting away with it.
According to Objectivism this is immoral and is considered a use of force. The people that manipulated the reports and finds should be prosecuted. Lucky for them, their views and findings are the popular opinion so I don’t think that is happening anytime soon.
Reason requires freedom, self-confidence and self-esteem. It requires the right to think and act on the guidance of one’s thinking – the right to live by one’s own independent judgment. Intellectual freedom cannot exist without political freedom; political freedom cannot exist without economic freedom; a free mind and a free market are corollaries. – p.25 For the New Intellectual, Ayn Rand
Read these articles (on smoking and warming) and tell me what you think. If you don’t agree let it be known and we can discuss it. This is an important issue and it needs more public attention.
May 8th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
The article you referenced attempts to discredit the idea that man is the cause of global warming. Its source of information is a documentary which has been removed from YouTube, but I found a trailer for it here:
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/G/great_global_warming_swindle/trailer.html
Neither the article nor the documentary seem to claim that global warming doesn’t exist, but instead dispute the idea that man is the primary cause and that he can alter it.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
You are right! But I wrote this article to show people that they need to look in to issues themselves and not just take everyone’s word for it. And just because a study comes up a finding that supports you beliefs, doesn’t make it right. You should always get a second or third opinion. Every good scientist knows that because there is a margin of error with everything they do.
People need to stop listening to the media and the nuts in Washington DC and start thinking for themselves. It’s your life people, so start living it!
May 10th, 2007 at 10:01 am
http://reasic.wordpress.com/2007/03/10/the-great-global-warming-swindle-questions-answered/
I understand that the point of the article posted here is that you have to form your own opinions after looking at the facts for yourself, instead of taking every study or article for gospel. The problem I have with this is that at some point, especially when considering subjects that involve science, you have to trust facts other people present. This is a dangerous thing to have to do. Every science or medical journal article I’ve ever read has another article contradicting the original conclusions. Whether its sample size, statistical inaccuracies, business influence, or just bad research methods, it’s definitely hard to take anything anyone publishes for fact, but this is exactly what we have to do in order to make progress. I guess the only thing you can do is read everything you can on a subject and make some sort of educated decision.
This is true with the global warming argument. I think it’s silly for an individual to watch either “The Great Global Warming Swindle” or “An Inconvenient Truth” and walk away with a stance for or against the idea that global warming is a problem that mankind can effect. I can’t help but feel that its hopeless to battle the global warming argument out in the political arena when the only people who are able to form an educated opinion on the issue are scientists. In a perfect world, scientists with no political or financial agenda would be able to come together, conduct research, and develop a hypothesis about whats going on. Unfortunately, I think that too much money is being made (and lost) exploiting global warming in a society that isn’t being given a chance to know fact from fiction.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Agreed! Thats why we need separation between science and state/business. Also if you do find that people are fudging numbers we need to take them to court and sew them! Fraud is a forum of force.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Mosley,
Interesting choice of words, considering one of your sources:
Well, let’s hire some lawyers, ’cause it’s already been proven that Durkin manipulated data and skewed graphs in his documentary.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Yes! If thats ture then he is guilty too. Unlike most people I don’t let fraud slide just because it’s in the favor of my opinion.
Also, Could you give me a link to your proof of this? I like to see things for myself.
Lastly, if Gore can get away with it, it will be interesting to see if Durkin will too.
There are liers on both sides so thats why I have yet to pick a side. BUT even if GW is a problem I don’t think it’s the job of the government to do anything about it. It’s up to the individual to take responsibility for there actions. Prove to me that driving my car is harming other people and I will stop.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:05 am
http://reasic.wordpress.com/2007/03/10/the-great-global-warming-swindle-questions-answered/
http://reasic.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/another-criticism-of-tggws-graphs/
http://scienceblogs.com/stoat/2007/03/the_use_of_damon_and_laut.php
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/03/swindled-carl-wunsch-responds/
http://www.medialens.org/alerts/07/0313pure_propaganda_the.php
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/climate_change/article2355956.ece
There are plenty more, but I figure those are a good start.
…even if GW is a problem I don’t think it’s the job of the government to do anything about it. It’s up to the individual to take responsibility for there actions.
Do you hold the same opinion on other environmental concerns? By the way, automobile exhaust is not the major source of CO2 emissions.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:06 am
How rude of me. All these comments, and I have yet to thank Beth for the link. Thank you so much, Beth!
May 11th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Mosley, did you get my other comment? It had several links in it, so it might have gotten flagged by your spam catcher.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am
I just de-spamed it! Thanks for the heads up!
Also I know that cars are not the problem but I was just making an ensample. I guess I should have said if you can prove that the advancement of man is hurting people, then I guess we should stop. Not matter how crazy that sounds.
Is that what the environmentalists want, for man to let nature have more impotents then his own life and happiness?
May 14th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
WE live in Mother nature, so YA.Our life and happiness depends on taking care of her