Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Philosophy

Defining the Sceptics (Part 1)

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Woodburytype print of Huxley (1880 or earlier)“THE improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, scepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.”

This quote from Thomas Huxley is a favourite among so called ‘climate sceptics’.  

Mr Huxley, a self-taught 18th Century British biologist ruthlessly attacked the established consensus in defence of Charles Darwin’s new theory of evolution by natural selection.  

The word sceptic has come to be associated with those who doubt the accepted consensus on anthropogenic global warming.   It is generally used by non-sceptics disparagingly to suggest this group would doubt any assertion or apparent fact.  

Some sceptics who understand the use of the term in this classic sense insist they are not sceptics, but rather rationalist.  The outspoken Australian geologist Bob Carter is a case in point.

Others embrace the label as meaning a person who seeks the truth.   This meaning is consistent with Mr Huxley’s writings.

Of course few doubters of the modern consensus on anthropogenic global warming are always true to Thomas Huxley’s ideals, but it is surely a worthy goal – to seek the truth above all else.  [Read more…] about Defining the Sceptics (Part 1)

AGW is Just a Theory

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“THE scientific method is a valuable way to advance objective knowledge. By testing a hypothesis against observation, it can either be falsified or supported. Not proved, of course, but nevertheless over time sufficient evidence can accumulate for a hypothesis to be generally accepted as the best available explanation. It is then known as a theory. Hence, although the vast majority of scientists and citizens (at least in Europe) accept Darwin’s description of evolution, this is still regarded as a theory rather than fact. This is important, because as our understanding develops, apparently satisfactory theories may be replaced by others.

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Defining the Greens (Part 13)

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THE Greens consider themselves morally and intellectually superior.

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Earlier posts in this series can be found here.   The word ‘Greens’ refers to a group with unique characteristics as one might use the word ‘fishermen’ or ‘Moslem’.

Beyond Consumerism but with Capitalism

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“CONSUMERISM, it must be noted, afflicts not merely the upper class in affluent societies but also the middle class and many in the working class. Large numbers of people across society believe that they work merely to make ends meet, but an examination of their shopping lists and closets reveals that they spend good parts of their income on status goods such as brand-name clothing, the “right” kind of car, and other assorted items that they don’t really need…

Limiting consumption is not a reflection of failure. Rather, it represents liberation from an obsession–a chance to abandon consumerism and focus on … well, what exactly? What should replace the worship of consumer goods?

The kind of culture that would best serve a Maslowian hierarchy of needs is hardly one that would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs–the economy that can provide the goods needed for basic creature comforts. Nor one that merely mocks the use of consumer goods to respond to higher needs. It must be a culture that extols sources of human flourishing besides acquisition. The two most obvious candidates to fill this role are communitarian pursuits and transcendental ones.

Read more here: http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=80661c9c-9c63-4c9e-a293-6888fc845351&p=1

[Read more…] about Beyond Consumerism but with Capitalism

Defining the Greens (Part 12)

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THE clothes we wear tell something about us including our likely prejudices.  Clothes no doubt also enable others with similar likes and dislikes to find us. 

A regular visitor to this blog sent in this cartoon of Keith in costume for the ‘Defining the Greens’ series.  The cartoon is titled ‘pigeonholed’ which is apparently a transitive verb that can mean to assign to an often restrictive category.

I am not sure whether Keith is a Green or better defined as a Neopagan.

[Read more…] about Defining the Greens (Part 12)

Postmodern Physics

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PHYSICS is the science dealing with natural laws and processes and the states and properties of matter and energy including of course the radiative transfer within the atmosphere that underpins the theory of anthropogenic global warming.  There is criticism amongst some physics teachers both in the UK and Australia that the physics curriculum has become corrupted in particular “calculation has been replaced by writing”, “precision is gone”.  Indeed according to one physics teacher: while physics was once a subject unpolluted by a torrent of malleable words, now everything must be described in words.   

[Read more…] about Postmodern Physics