Im not sure what you are referring to as "Gore's argument".
Hello, Alastair.
I had in mind a division of his argument into two portions. The first is his argument that there is a scientific consensus on two issues--that global warming is ocurring and a second that human activity is a very significant contributor to such.
The second set of arguments he makes in the movie are more "scientists" tell us or "science" tells us, but not the language of consensus. And by emphasizing the consensual aspects of the first set of arguments, he leaves his viewers free to assume there is much less so for the remainder of his arguments.
As for the piece you posted, it only addressed the portion of Gore's argument which had to do with the contradictory conclusion that global warming is likely to lead to much colder climates in western Europe and England. That was based on what your author argued was a "myth."
I see two things in that argument that relate to Gore's argument on this point. First, the author assumes that it is the consensual scientific view, that is that the gulf stream is largely responsible for the present relatively warmer climates in western Europe and England. His work and that of his friends are built on attacking that notion. And the fun/pleasure of doing science frequently is doing work that runs counter to the consensual view. He is doing that.
The second part of his argument that I thought addressed Gore's argument on this point was the truth claim that he was right and the consensual view wrong. On that score, his piece is simply one moment in a long conversation, not a new truth. No doubt, if it is taken seriously, folk in his field will debate it for some time, use his conclusions as basis for further research, etc.
We simply don't know the "truth" of it yet. (You may note that I am using "truth" here as the product of scientific consensus. I know of no non-mediated way to "truth.")
God, I keep running across Steven Colbert's "truthiness" every time I type "truth."
Does this answer your question? Or have I missed your point(s)? |
