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The Heretical Freeman Dyson

Posted by Zonk on from the is-he-a-duck-or-a-witch dept.

dublin writes "Big-thinker Freeman Dyson has written a new essay in which he points out the need for heretics in science, and goes on to gore some sacred cows, including global climate change: 'My first heresy says that all the fuss about global warming is grossly exaggerated ... There is no doubt that parts of the world are getting warmer, but the warming is not global ... When I listen to the public debates about climate change, I am impressed by the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the sparseness of our observations and the superficiality of our theories ... All our fashionable worries and all our prevailing dogmas will probably be obsolete in fifty years. My heresies will probably also be obsolete. It is up to [the people of 2070] to find new heresies to guide our way to a more hopeful future.'"

13 of 498 comments (clear)

  1. Heretic! by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Funny

    He spoke out against global warming!

    BURN HIM!!!!

    also, first

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Heretic! by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yep; he did.
      BR>And that sounds like heresy to me! Burn him!!

    2. Re:Heretic! by Dunbal · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wait a minute. Did you just say that Freemon Dyson is ignorant ". . .of both the scientific method and the subject at hand?"

            You sound like a heretic too. I'd keep my mouth shut if I was you, or we'll burn YOU as well! :-)

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      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    3. Re:Heretic! by sumdumass · · Score: 1, Funny

      Now common. We all know that everyone who doesn't believe as we do is evil and wants to kill babies. But has our religion, I mean science surounding global warming, I mean climate change, risen to the same status as some other religions,I mean fairy tales err pseudoscience, err you know (what I mean)?

      Can't we just stick with insulting people, tearing down their academic credentials, telling everyone they are idiot who wouldn't know science it is touched them, pointing out obvious mistakes that we make too but won't admit, getting them fired or a few death threats. Do we really need to burn people at the stake too? Wouldn't it be more satisfying and productive to just ruin their lives and let them live to talk about it so the next brave soul will think twice? I for one am against burning people.

    4. Re:Heretic! by homey+of+my+owney · · Score: 3, Funny

      Heretics aside, math is sketchy. 2007 + 50 is ummm 2070

    5. Re:Heretic! by flyingsquid · · Score: 2, Funny
      He spoke out against global warming! BURN HIM!!!!

      Also, he turned me into a newt.

    6. Re:Heretic! by bigdavesmith · · Score: 4, Funny

      Heretics aside, math is sketchy. 2007 + 50 is ummm 2070
      He does not follow The New Math! Heretic! Burn the heretic!!
    7. Re:Heretic! by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      But you didn't address the real issue: Did the Washington Redskins win or loose?

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      Table-ized A.I.
  2. Re:We need more people like him by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    We need more people to stand up against the global warming onslaught.

          I wear my eyepatch and parrot every day. What do YOU do to prevent global warming?

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  3. Re:We need more people like him by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 2, Funny

    What do YOU do to prevent global warming? Instead of goring sacred cows, I dog sacred Gores.
  4. Re:We need more people like him by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    How can you defend this guy? He's responsible for Skynet, for God's sake! Either that or he sells vacuum cleaners. Either way, he's dangerous and must be stopped.

  5. NO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Burning him will release more greenhouse gases, you insensitive clod!

  6. Re:Heretics? by Air-conditioned+cowh · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I'd love to see original scientific research...."

    Have you tried Wikipedia? I promise you won't be disappointed!