I’ll put this out first: I’m not a Climate Skeptic! Say it again: I’m not a Climate Skeptic! That said (twice), I am fine with people questioning the so-called “consensus”. This doesn’t mean that I think their opinions are always logical or backed up by high quality science. It just means there should be room for disagreement. As a principle. And those who disagree with this or that aspect of the Climate Change Consensus shouldn’t be implicitly compared to Holocaust deniers. We all rely on heuristics. My heuristics include: 1) be wary of arguments based on authority; 2) focus on the details of the case; and, 3) look for Red Flags.
In considering scientific evidence or arguments, Red Flags are clear violations of the scientific spirit (see prior post). The various principles that comprise the scientific spirit I call the Virtues of Science. One of the Virtues is the recognition that a lot of things are Matters of Degree. When I see arguments based on Categorical Thinking (e.g., you’re either in this Camp or that Camp), I see Red. This applies to all sides in the Climate Change debate.