Climate Change 6of12: Exaggeration and Biased Samples

Lecture by Professor Richard Muller of the University California, Berkeley. Taken from Lectures 20 and 21 of the spring 2008 webcasts of Physics For Future Presidents. Also known as Descriptive Introduction to Physics. Emphasis is on conceptual understanding, rather than mathematics.

This lecture deals with the physics of climate change, the data on global temperature and carbon dioxide changes, and some potential solutions. Also covered are the many mistakes that can be made, including the trap of exaggeration. He warns against the danger of cherry picking and overstating the case. When people discover that the exaggerated case is not valid, they may dismiss the problem altogether. Professor Muller has researched this topic for many years and has co-authored a book with Gordon MacDonald called "Ice Ages and Astronomical Causes".

The reports of the IPCC are referenced much during this lecture. The full IPCC reports can be found here:
http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/assessments-reports.htm

This lecture can also be found here, along with many other lectures:
http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978515

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• positive
• feedback
• clouds
• ipcc
• hurricanes
• storm
• katrina
• tornadoes
• wildfires
• al
• gore

[jaschemasch]

lol he seems so upset at the end about Al Gore being famous. I understand though. To me Al Gore has never been a scientist but if he has done way more for the planet than some scientists have, just by making the public aware.

[theinquisitor]

Perhaps, but he exaggerated the problem in an attempt to get people to act. When people found out some of his claims were false, they assumed all of his claims were false. This is the danger of overstating your case.

In the long term, he did a lot of damage by making this look like a political movement instead of a scientific problem. Those who oppose his politics now think global warming is a political hoax because they can show that he lied and exaggerated.

[Desertphile]

@david222444 ; I'm sorry: what?

[david222444]

@Desertphile LOL

[Desertphile]

@david222444 ; Huh?

[david222444]

@Desertphile The Eco Dunce hat! doh!

[Desertphile]

@david222444 ; What? Hat?

[david222444]

@Desertphile You are wearing the wrong hat, it should come to a point and be cone shaped.

[Desertphile]

@david222444 ; What?

[david222444]

@Desertphile Eco dunce

[Desertphile]

@david222444 ; Idiot.