[euromodder]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

What motivates the deniers, I wonder?

I wouldn't call it the motivator, but the lack of proof for such a far-reaching conclusion is not going down well with me.

If GW ultimately can't be proven, it's going to seriously backfire.
In the heads of many, there won't be any need for conservation anymore.

Do you trust that we know the structure of the atom, or the speed of light, or evolution, or that the planets orbit the sun, or what causes gravity? Do you *really* know that these are all true, and can we prove beyond all doubt that they are true?

While we don't know everything there is to know about the atom, most of it can be proven by tests that can be reproduced.
Matter fo fact, parts of the atom that couldn't be proven to exist at first, appeared in theoretical studies based on tests showing there had to be something else.
The others can rather easily be proven.

You can hope to prove GW-theory someday, but 2010 in the northern hemisphere isn't going to do the acceptance of the theory much good ... and that's the area where the real drive - and the money to fund it - is.

We trust science because it is the best explanation, and it fits the data the best.

Warming isn't the best explanation for the coldest, whitest winter in decades, and hardly fits any data.

Climate generally does not change -- but it is changing now.

That's the basic flaw.
The climate has always been changing, and it always will.
It's just people who are really looking for stability, and expect they'll get it.

But, if you think you can prove that any of these scientists are faking it,

There's a lot of money going round in scientific research Neal.
And the fear of climate change has been increasing the budgets.
Big money tends to corrupt.
The scientic-fic world is not exempt from that, far from it.
I often see people screaming about Big Oil, Big Money, Big Auto, Big Whaterever.
I hardly ever see anyone raging on about Big Research, but an entire industry and community lives off subsidized research, so it's essential to keep the money flowing to keep the community happy.

Do they need to fake results ?
No real need to.
They just publish what fits the part and keep out dissonant voices.
That's what Climategate was all about.

Data gets corrected.

Measuring stations get relocated.
Or have been (almost) swallowed by expanding cities, accounting for temp. increases.

Don't worry about CO2.
Worry about atmospheric dust.