On Mar 13, 11:44 am, Scott Seidman
wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote . net:

Scott Seidman wrote:
The answer is, of course, no. The same bunch of scientists who are
suggesting we need to change our lifestyles to counter global warming
are unwilling to put a firm estimate on how much our lifestyles
contribute to global warming.

More unable than unwilling, I imagine. So the crystal ball isn't
perfect, it's still better to do something than nothing. Reducing
greenhouse gases certainly won't make the problem worse but it
might make the situation a little better.

Or it might not. My agnosticism might damn me to hell if there really is a
God. Should I thus believe, because its thus the safest option?

1. Agnosticism
a. Rotting in hell for all eternity sounds like a personal
problem
b. You don't choose to believe. You believe that crap or you
don't.
c. You don't believe that crap.
d. It doesn't make any difference whether you believe that crap
or not.

2. Global warming
a. Global warming affects billions of people (REAL people) around
the world (in addition to countless other creatures), and will
continue to do so.....possibly for centuries to come.
b. You don't choose to believe. You believe or you don't.
c. You do.
d. This isn't about preserving some self-image as a professional
skeptic through the presentation of transparently bogus analogies.
You should be ashamed of yourself.


You don't undertake a massive infrastructure change in the name of the
environment because it "might" help.

As a matter of fact, it happens all the time. Sometimes it works,
sometimes it doesn't. Using the possibility of failure as a rationale
for doing nothing does nothing but guarantee that nothing will be
accomplished.

You sink your resources into what
careful analysis shows stands a reasonable chance of success. Of course,
while all this analysis is going on, you don't stop turning off the lights
in empty rooms.

When falling from the top of a tall building, on the other hand,
stopping to complete that careful analysis would be very wise indeed.

I'm a little sensitive these days, watching the steamroller of alternative
fuels barreling over town planning and zoning boards.

Ah! So it IS a personal matter after all.

Wolfgang