Scientists Study How Non-Scientists Deny Climate Change (theguardian.com)

A new research paper suggest climate change opponents are "simulating coherence by conspiracism". Slashdot reader Layzej says the paper "examines this behavior at the aggregate level, but gives many examples where contradictory ideas are held by the same individual, and sometimes are presented within a single publication." From the paper: Claims that the globe "is cooling" can coexist with claims that the "observed warming is natural" and that "the human influence does not matter because warming is good for us". Coherence between these mutually contradictory opinions can only be achieved at a highly abstract level, namely that "something must be wrong" with the scientific evidence in order to justify a political position against climate change mitigation...

In a nutshell, the opposition to greenhouse gas emission cuts is the unifying and coherent position underlying all manifestations of climate science denial... Climate science denial is therefore perhaps best understood as a rational activity that replaces a coherent body of science with an incoherent and conspiracist body of pseudo-science for political reasons and with considerable political coherence and effectiveness.
"I think that people who deny basic science will continue to do so, no matter how contradictory their arguments may be," says one of the paper's authors, who suggests that the media should be wary of self-contradicting positions.

Comments

No they aren't denying it

[NotInHere]

These scientists are wrong! Liars! They don't respect our religion!

Re:No they aren't denying it

[Anonymous Coward]

I believe the Bible as much or more than some ivory tower elitist snob propellerheads, whose primary mission in life is to lie to us to continue their ride on the government funded gravy train. At least with a book written thousands of years ago, I know there is no ulterior motive other than to tell us how to live a good life and obtain entry to the next one. Most of the "climate scientists" I know are more interested in where their next grant might come from rather than saving their eternal souls, and are not qualified but do anything other than write over-the-top articles to try to scare people and advance their agenda. If I read one more headline about how Greenland's glaciers are melting even FASTER *gasp* than scientists thought they were, I swear I'm going to lose it. Every time I see one of those headlines, I go out in the back yard and burn another tire.

Re:No they aren't denying it

[denzacar]

Oral tradition doesn't refer solely to that thing spouses do for their significant other on birthdays and anniversaries.

Re:No they aren't denying it

[bheerssen]

How dare you malign The Fountainhead?!