A Debate: And Dick Lindzen takes a Beating

authordefault
on

Debate enthusiasts will love this long, but worthy video showing Texas A&M atmospheric scientist Andy Dessler mopping the floor with his increasingly out-of-touch colleague from MIT, Dick Lindzen.

The fact of Desslerโ€™s victory is a value judgment that you may not trust without watching the video yourself. But speaking of value judgments, Dessler got off a great shot during his rebuttal, in which he commented on how often Lindzen had said that climate change presents โ€œno cause forย alarm.โ€

That, Dessler pointed out, is also a value judgment – not a scientific finding,ย adding:

โ€œBefore the lecture, he (Prof. Lindzen) was smoking. Thatโ€™s a risk. Heโ€™s decided thatโ€™s a risk heโ€™s willing to take. But not everybody would take that risk, so when he says thereโ€™s no cause for concern, heโ€™s giving you his valueย judgment.โ€

Proceeding beyond the degree to which Lindzen has bad breath – as well as bad judgment – the lecture hosts at the University of Virginia School of Law jumped in with two policy presenters, Jonathan Cannon, making all kinds of sense, and Jason Johnston bending over backwards to argue that because economists canโ€™t accurately put a cost on the coming climate armageddon, we shouldnโ€™t bother taking out any insurance to prevent it. (Pass that man a pack of Camels. Itโ€™ll make it easier for him to blow smoke in the future.)

Related Posts

Analysis
on

The prime minister should consider the potential outcomes of siding with his Bay Street buddies and oil industry bigwigs over climate-beleaguered Canadians.

The prime minister should consider the potential outcomes of siding with his Bay Street buddies and oil industry bigwigs over climate-beleaguered Canadians.
on

As the company faces a landmark climate lawsuit, confidential documents show how British scientist James Lovelock warned executives of the risks of burning fossil fuels in the 1960s.

As the company faces a landmark climate lawsuit, confidential documents show how British scientist James Lovelock warned executives of the risks of burning fossil fuels in the 1960s.
Series: #ShellKnew
Series: #ShellKnew
on

Nigel Farageโ€™s donors include Mayfair club owners, fox hunt masters, and the landed gentry.

Nigel Farageโ€™s donors include Mayfair club owners, fox hunt masters, and the landed gentry.
Analysis
on

Little-known company Teton Digital is pushing an AI project that could release one million tonnes of annual emissions.

Little-known company Teton Digital is pushing an AI project that could release one million tonnes of annual emissions.