The Limits of Scientific Authority -- Climate Theology

The Washington Times has a nice editorial today on the global warming hysteria, comparing it to the similar media hype over global cooling three decades ago. Here's the key point:

The judgment of the scientific community -- much less the judgment of international political entities or scribblers who cite them as authorities -- should not control this debate. "The science is settled," say the proponents; the consensus exists. But too often the disclaimers and scientific qualifiers get edited out of those press releases. And science is not about consensus in any event. It is about testing hypotheses and building evidence through experimentation.
In 1975, Newsweek's correspondent was convinced that politicians would fail to prevent the coming Ice Age. "The longer the planners delay, the more difficult will they find it to cope with climatic change once the results become grim reality," Mr. Gwynne intoned darkly. Thankfully, they did not take the global-cooling bait.
The global-warming enthusiasts who now control this debate may or may not turn out to be this generation's Peter Gwynnes. But clearly they have been far too quick in their rush to judgment. Time and scientific evidence will tell the true story behind climate change. The policy solutions, if any are needed, will follow.

Amen,

Read it here.

Peter Gwynn was the Newsweek reporter who wrote the hysterical cover story in 1975 that served as a hook for today's editorial.