1 Thessalonians 5:21“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Science has an elevated position in Western society. There are those who would try to put Christians down, by saying “You have faith, but I have science”. Science, in the abstract, is therefore assumed to be the ultimate truth, and the universal standard, against which everything must be tested. This, it is suggested, is because science is tested. As a high school science teacher, I would suggest to my students that … [Read more...]
Is the Science Settled?
With respect to climate change, we have often heard the refrain “The Science is Settled!” screeched anytime you attempt to disagree with the alarmist dogma. But a recent series of publications in arguably prestigious journals have underscored the truism in science that it is never settled. On Monday, March 15, an article[1] was published in Nature Geoscience (one of the journals in the stable of Nature journals) that argued “the sequence of recent [central] European summer droughts … [Read more...]
Faith In Human-Caused Global Warming
During my 30+ year career in climate change research I have come to realize the popular perception of global warming involves at least as much faith as it does science. Participation in the fight against climate change (or pollution, or COVID-19, or many other present-day problems) gives people a sense of purpose in their search for significance, even if their rituals have virtually no impact. In the case of global warming, the global energy imbalance associated with warming in recent decades … [Read more...]
Will Sea Levels Rise?
There’s a lot of scaremongering by global warming alarmists who want your money and to control your lives. One of the more popular scare stories is that global warming will make sea levels rise to the point that coastal cities will drown and islands disappear. Remember the ridiculous “documentary” by Al Gore? It won an Academy Award. Hollywood always has been better at fiction than fact. Relax. In the next 100 years sea levels probably will rise 7 or 8 inches. Just as they have for … [Read more...]
David Attenborough’s Epic Gaffe on Global Warming
Like my peers in the 1990s, I watched plenty of wildlife shows on TV. David Attenborough, the famous natural historian, was among the most powerful voices. Many nature lovers admire him. He helped kindle my passion for wildlife conservation. After university, I worked on many assignments to conserve species around the world. Never would I have guessed that Attenborough would undermine science. But he does. Attenborough is Wrong How? He says civilization is near collapse. And he wrongly … [Read more...]
Chuck Todd Devotes an Hour to Attacking a Strawman
Chuck Todd, on a recent episode of Meet the Press, highlighted the issue of global warming and climate change. He unapologetically made it clear that he wasn’t interested in hearing from people on the opposing side of the scientific issue, stating: “We’re not going to debate climate change, the existence of it. The Earth is getting hotter. And human activity is a major cause, period. We’re not going to give time to climate deniers. The science is settled, even if political opinion is … [Read more...]
Are There Really No Downsides to Fighting Global Warming?
Recently, on a social media platform I won’t name, a well-meaning person summarized in classic form the typical layman’s—and, to be candid, the typical politician’s—case in favor of drastic efforts to reduce manmade global warming. That offers a great opportunity to answer in clear, simple terms that other laymen can use. So, here and in parts two, three, and four, I’ll present his case, and my responses. To begin with, Bob (not his real name) wrote, “I don’t know any person over 20 years old … [Read more...]
The changing climate of science
Have mathematical models replaced good old-fashioned scientific testing? An understanding of the big picture in a field of study helps to frame and give essential perspective to that field. Take the field of natural science for instance. A big-picture look at the overall operation of the natural science profession has traditionally been seen in the “scientific method,” which consists of observation, hypothesis and testing. Rigorous testing of a hypothesis eventually leads to a … [Read more...]
Are Christians Automatically Biased Where Science is Concerned?
Here at the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation we try to answer email questions in detail as often as we can. That's not to say we have the time to answer every single question that way, but we do try. This week Dr. Beisner received the following question from a staff member of a college apologetics ministry. (We do not include the names of those who ask questions when we share the information with our readers.) What are your thoughts on the critical claim that organizations … [Read more...]
No More Secret Science, Needs No More Secret Economics
Controversial Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt, said in a press release on April 24th that: “The era of secret science at [the] EPA is coming to an end.” This is in the context of him signing a proposed rule to strengthen the science used in regulations issued by EPA. This is also in the context of Executive Order 13777 (issued in March 2017) which provides for regulatory reform of “those regulations that [do not] meet the standard of reproducibility.” The … [Read more...]