The blog was interesting reading.

“So what we have from the DI, the other denialists and their organizations, is evidence of people with no competence in understanding science, who overestimate their own abilities, and are incapable of recognizing competence in others.”

I realise this isn’t directed at me but I can’t resist. This assertion fails in my case on every point. I contend I understand something about science, having spent much of my working life actually doing it. Mark Hoofnagle doesn’t talk about the people on the right of his chart, where I hang out.

“that doesn't change the fact that actual measurement of global mean temperature is possible, and is showing an alarmingly steep increase post-industrialization.”
This is phrased as a statement of fact, and is the essential bone of contention for me. One of the things he says about denialists is they refuse to change their minds. I had doubted warming at all until recently because I had seen no evidence which was credible to me that the uptrend is correct. I have recently seen what I regard as credible analysis that supports the uptrend, although the magnitude is rather less than the evangelists have supposed and I continue to dispute it’s historical context. I am prepared to believe in GW, I just want to be convinced by proof, not assertion.

“Your opponent might just be an idiot, but ultimately right.”

Yup.

Perhaps the most amusing aspect is if you apply the same logic to the “accepted” side of an area of science that has undergone scrutiny, GW for example. You get most of the same behaviors and tactics he lobs at, well, people like me.

I happily accept there are fruitcakes on the anti AGW side, and many people who don’t properly understand the issues. Hek I don’t understand half the stuff that gets talked about. But there are some smart rational people asking valid questions, and given the massive consequences of action on this issue you need to be sure before you flush our society down the drain. One might even draw a comparison with the invasion of Iraq on a false premise.

Anyway...