Philosophy On The Mesa

The “logic” of those who deny the reality of anthropogenic climate change is hard to follow.

As Darksyde writes:

If we invest in energy efficiency, alternative technologies, and green jobs, and for whatever reason global warming turns out to be much adieu [sic] about nothing, we as a nation are left with greater energy independence and whole new industries right here at home. Not a bad outcome. But if climate change deniers are wrong, and we do nothing, we’re left depending on foreign oil, stuck with a growing, potentially catastrophic environmental disaster, and little or no immediate solutions to any of it. The better scenarios should be readily apparent.

As I have argued in the past, the consequences of not doing anything if the predictions about climate change are accurate are overwhelmingly, catastrophically bad. And the consequences of doing something if it turns out not to be a problem are not horrible. There are costs but not catastrophic costs.

So from a pragmatic point of view, the only rational policy is to do something about global warming.

This equation makes one wonder about the values of climate change deniers. They are either huge risk takers, willing to sacrifice the lives of others for their gamble, or they simply do not care about the planet earth and its inhabitants.

Neither of these is morally praiseworthy.

Dwight Furrow is author of

Reviving the Left: The Need to Restore Liberal Values in America

or Visit the Website: www.revivingliberalism.com