Scott Adams' Blog

Big Red Flag for Cognitive Dissonance

Posted April 20th, 2017 @ 10:49am in #climate science #climate change #cognitive dissonance

When I see an obvious case of cognitive dissonance in the news, I like to point it out so you can see reality through what I call the Persuasion Filter. Today’s example comes from an article in SLATE about climate change.

The author, Tim Requarth, correctly points out that facts and logic have limited value in changing anyone’s mind about climate science, or anything else. He speaks from experience because he teaches workshops on how to better communicate science. I like this guy. He’s on the right path.

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How Leonardo DiCaprio Can Persuade Me on Climate Change

Posted March 18th, 2017 @ 10:08am in #climate science #climate denial #climate change #leonardo dicaprio

Note: If you came here from Twitter, I use “kittens” as my code for climate science to thwart Twitter’s shadowban on my tweets.

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You probably know that actor Leonardo DiCaprio is a climate activist, and he is trying to persuade the world that climate change is both real and serious. Someone asked me on Twitter what it would take for DiCaprio (for example) to persuade a person like me.

I’ll take a swing at that.

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The Persuasion Advantage and Climate Science

Posted February 4th, 2017 @ 11:08am in #climate science #climate change

As I have often said in this blog, I don’t have the tools to evaluate the basic science about climate change, and neither do you. The difference is that you might be under the illusion that you do have those tools.

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The Persuasion Filter Looks at Torture. Does it Work?

Posted January 30th, 2017 @ 1:29pm in #Trump #Torture #Waterboarding #climate change

If I ever get captured and threatened with torture it will take about five seconds for me to give up every secret I have. That’s because I know I would break eventually, so why put up with unnecessary torture?

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Best Arguments For and Against Climate Model Credibility

Posted December 29th, 2016 @ 8:03pm in #climate change

Below are competing links on the credibility of climate change models. One makes the case that the models do a good job. The other makes a case that the models are not credible. See which one you find more persuasive.

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Climate Change and Trump

Posted May 30th, 2016 @ 12:13pm in #Trump #climate change

I realize a number of my blog readers don’t think climate change is a problem. Hold that objection until the end.

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Let’s say you think climate change is the biggest threat to humanity, and you also think Trump believes climate change to be a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, because he actually said that in the past. That’s a big problem, right?

Let’s put it in context and see if doing so changes your mind.

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Cows: Our Greatest Enemies

Posted October 29th, 2015 @ 7:48am in #meat #climate change #cowspiracy

I hate cows.

My uncle owned a dairy farm. My siblings and I often worked on that farm. My chores included shoveling cow manure, cleaning the milk storage tanks, and herding the cows. One time I befriended a calf and gave it a cute name. A few weeks later my grandmother served it to me for dinner. It wasn’t the best way to hear the news.

I will always remember the day my brother and I were invited to watch the hog slaughter. My uncle slit each hog’s necks in front of us and we watched the hogs scream and bleed out.

I’m a vegetarian now (mostly) but not because of that childhood farming horror. I don’t digest meat well. I tell you this background so you understand my bias.

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