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[–]StillLessons 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Understanding and answers have two different meanings. Those who understand a complex subject matter best know they are offering rough descriptions (with huge gaps) of processes that can and do change with time. That's not the same as an "answer", which suggests the completion of a process.

This is semantics, but it's important. For people to gain the understanding you are pointing to, we need to recognize precisely the constraints under which "science" is operating when scientists offer information and the models derived from that information.

In fact, our exchange here illustrates precisely the problem I see in the climate debate. The political / corporate powers have decided they have the "answer" to climate change: carbon (now nitrogen as well...). Because they have an "answer", they can use that answer to reverse engineer the problem; answers are reproducible. But their answer is a ridiculously oversimplified model of the effects of a single variable (going to two...) on the system. They are distorting our society in radical and tyrannical ways based on their strategies to mitigate a problem using the incomplete information from a false answer. Now, in this thread, we're introducing a new variable: solar radiation. Solar radiation, just like carbon and nitrogen cycling, is not static. We're in this never-ending battle to impose our "solution" on to a system in motion. As I said to Canbot above, I remain firmly unconvinced that we are sufficiently wise or knowledgeable to nudge this system in a manner that will create a "better" outcome than what it naturally would have shifted to without our influence.

Beware confidently-stated and defended false answers! They motivate actions that 99% of the time (made-up number, of course) lead to harm, not benefit.

[–]rrzibot 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

To your point it is a complex subject. Do you think people should be educated on the subject, it's complexity, dangers, details and be provided with data and evidences of how dangerous and unpredictable these methods for limiting the solar radiatios are? Because the alternative is to have ignorant people that think they can blocks the sun with a let's say... an umbrella.

[–]StillLessons 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

This is why censorship is bar-none the greatest evil in history. Censorship is the prevention of having complex discussions. There's a reason the founders put the first amendment first. How can we educate people when the free speech required for such education does not exist? What I have written above would be disallowed from NYT, NPR, the alphabets, etc as climate disinformation (the modern term for heresy). So instead we rattle around in the backwaters like this site that remain small enough that the censors focus only limited effort in shutting us down.

[–]rrzibot 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You are making a good point. Help me understand what do you think about my question?