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Works. Proof: me. I've changed my mind on certain topics - esp drugs and to a certain degree AGW based on discussions. Protip: calling me a troll, paid shill

Works. Proof: me. I've changed my mind on certain topics - esp drugs and to a certain degree AGW based on discussions. Protip: calling me a troll, paid shill, downvoting honest questions doesn't work on people like me. I do however listen to reasonable arguments and take pride in being able to change my mind.

Simon_says 9y ago
> Protip: calling me a troll, paid shill, downvoting honest questions doesn't work on people like me. It doesn't work on anybody.
michaelmrose 9y ago
From the perspective of someone who has been on both sides of the arguments regarding climate change how is it possible to be intelligent and not believe in climate change. I absolutely don't mean to imply you are stupid. I had a relative who was extremely intelligent, his career being aurospace engineer who didn't believe in cimate change and another a computer programmer who didn't believe in evolution. I don't think I understand how people can believe nonsense and yet obviously be capable of learning complex and difficult topics.
- pbhjpbhj 9y ago
  Your examples are both about people being sceptical, but then you say: >"I don't think I understand how people can believe nonsense [...]" // Are these supposed to be related. Not believing in evolution doesn't mean you do believe in nonsense, for example. Once you've been around the block a few times it's easy to get cynical about scientific claims. Too much scientism.
  - michaelmrose 9y ago
    The programmer believed that god waved a magic wand to bring into being all present and prior animals. He had thought about this extensively and had done research and still believed the magic wand explanation.
- reitanqild 9y ago
  > how is it possible to be intelligent and not believe in climate change. Ok, let me give it a try. A few years ago I knew nothing about climate science. My scepticism (not denying) was grounded in the overwhelming focus on feelings, not numbers. When someone started answer my questions with measurable numbers my scepticism waned. So I might have been wrong about this but I think it is often a nice heuristic: when people refuse to give you data and insist on either playing your feelings (with pictures of sad animals), appeal to authority (2500 scientists...) or outright calling you a troll then it could be because there was no hard data.
  - mrguyorama 9y ago
    The problem is that plenty of people are being told "Those numbers are Fake!" and believe that with all their heart. You can't fight willful ignorance.
  - michaelmrose 9y ago
    Thanks. I've usually looked at such people as lost causes who can't be convinced. It seems its worth investing more time to communicate with people.

Simon_says 9y ago

> Protip: calling me a troll, paid shill, downvoting honest questions doesn't work on people like me. It doesn't work on anybody.

michaelmrose 9y ago

From the perspective of someone who has been on both sides of the arguments regarding climate change how is it possible to be intelligent and not believe in climate change. I absolutely don't mean to imply you are stupid. I had a relative who was extremely intelligent, his career being aurospace engineer who didn't believe in cimate change and another a computer programmer who didn't believe in evolution. I don't think I understand how people can believe nonsense and yet obviously be capable of learning complex and difficult topics.

pbhjpbhj 9y ago
Your examples are both about people being sceptical, but then you say: >"I don't think I understand how people can believe nonsense [...]" // Are these supposed to be related. Not believing in evolution doesn't mean you do believe in nonsense, for example. Once you've been around the block a few times it's easy to get cynical about scientific claims. Too much scientism.
- michaelmrose 9y ago
  The programmer believed that god waved a magic wand to bring into being all present and prior animals. He had thought about this extensively and had done research and still believed the magic wand explanation.
reitanqild 9y ago
> how is it possible to be intelligent and not believe in climate change. Ok, let me give it a try. A few years ago I knew nothing about climate science. My scepticism (not denying) was grounded in the overwhelming focus on feelings, not numbers. When someone started answer my questions with measurable numbers my scepticism waned. So I might have been wrong about this but I think it is often a nice heuristic: when people refuse to give you data and insist on either playing your feelings (with pictures of sad animals), appeal to authority (2500 scientists...) or outright calling you a troll then it could be because there was no hard data.
- mrguyorama 9y ago
  The problem is that plenty of people are being told "Those numbers are Fake!" and believe that with all their heart. You can't fight willful ignorance.
- michaelmrose 9y ago
  Thanks. I've usually looked at such people as lost causes who can't be convinced. It seems its worth investing more time to communicate with people.