Slashdot Mirror
When We Don't Like the Solution, We Deny the Problem
Ichijo writes: A new study (abstract) from Duke University tested whether the desirability of a solution affects beliefs in the existence of the associated problem. Researchers found that 'yes, people will deny the problem when they don't like the solution. Quoting: "Participants in the experiment, including both self-identified Republicans and Democrats, read a statement asserting that global temperatures will rise 3.2 degrees in the 21st century. They were then asked to evaluate a proposed policy solution to address the warming. When the policy solution emphasized a tax on carbon emissions or some other form of government regulation, which is generally opposed by Republican ideology, only 22 percent of Republicans said they believed the temperatures would rise at least as much as indicated by the scientific statement they read.
But when the proposed policy solution emphasized the free market, such as with innovative green technology, 55 percent of Republicans agreed with the scientific statement. The researchers found liberal-leaning individuals exhibited a similar aversion to solutions they viewed as politically undesirable in an experiment involving violent home break-ins. When the proposed solution called for looser versus tighter gun-control laws, those with more liberal gun-control ideologies were more likely to downplay the frequency of violent home break-ins."
But when the proposed policy solution emphasized the free market, such as with innovative green technology, 55 percent of Republicans agreed with the scientific statement. The researchers found liberal-leaning individuals exhibited a similar aversion to solutions they viewed as politically undesirable in an experiment involving violent home break-ins. When the proposed solution called for looser versus tighter gun-control laws, those with more liberal gun-control ideologies were more likely to downplay the frequency of violent home break-ins."
That there are citizens in your nation representing you who shun science, logic and evidence, well, that is a political problem. And it's all mixed up with getting science elected when we visit the voting booth.
I mean to say the idiots haven't won yet, even though at present they seem to have the lead.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
You can always rely on social scientists (now there's an oxymoron) to demonstrate a false dichotomy and a few other logical fallacies.
1. The earth is going to warm 3.2 degrees in just over a century. Do you
a) raise taxes on everything now including fossil fuels forcing many people into life-strangling fuel poverty and condemning billions to staying in poverty or
b) adapt to the changes, encourage as many people as possible to survive through prosperity or
c) question the validity of the rise in future temperatures as an unquestionable fact. You CONSERVATIVE DENIER.
2. Violent home break-ins are rising as the number of guns has reached saturation point. Do you
a) get armed yourself, increasing the likelihood that you or your children may be injured by having arms and ammunition in the house or
b) call for stricter gun controls, which limit legitimate gun ownership while doing nothing to prevent illegal gun possession or
c) question the validity of the rise in home break-ins as an unquestioned fact. You LIBERAL COWARD
3. You read a survey in a scientific journal and you possess a brain (rare on the Internet, go with me on this). Do you
a) accept its conclusions because its science
b) reject its conclusions because its flawed.
c) question the validity of the experiment because you probably think the moon landings were faked. YOU ARE A CONSPIRACY NUT.
Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
Also not all the reviews on it are 1 or 5 stars, very few in between.
There have been undeniable lies presented by AGW supporters, and I'm sure the book lists them. The fact that AGW supporters seem to ignore the lies they have told and been caught telling is even worse than the other side. Its mostly because of that most people now ignore them. Instead of shunning those who have outright lied you all line up to defend them and call people who point out their lies names. That just makes the rest of us assume you all are lying every time because you can't have anything questioned. Add to that all the outrageous predictions AGW supporters have made over the years that haven't even come close to being true and there is a serious credibility problem.
But just go ahaed and keep ignoring all that becuase it gives you a warm feeling to call Inhofe a "denier" despite it puts off people on the fence who later decide you don't have actual evidence to support your position and have to rely on name calling instead.
The term "liberal" was co-opted by the Socialists many years ago as a marketing stratey.
Also see: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Have gnu, will travel.
You've just demonstrated that you don't understand science or the history of science.
Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question