When questioned about global warming on NPR's Morning Edition today, Michael Griffin, the head of NASA, had a pretty startling analysis. (At least, I was startled as I lay in bed listening to the news, instead of getting up to take a shower.) I think his interview represents a new tack for those who want us to not worry about climate change.
As a scientist, Michael Griffin isn't willing to ignore the facts. "I understand that the bulk of scientific evidence accumulated supports the claim that we've had about a one degree centigrade rise in temperature over the last century to within an accuracy of 20 percent," Griffin said. He also conceded that the warming has probably been caused by humans: "I'm also aware of recent findings that appear to have nailed down — pretty well nailed down the conclusion that much of that is manmade."
However, that doesn't mean he's giving any ground to the crazy liberals. Griffin said, "I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take."
As my Economics professor was fond of saying, "Always ask, 'Good for who? Bad for who?'"
So, the earth has certainly gotten hotter in the past hundred years, and humans are probably responsible for the warming, but who says that's a bad thing? We certainly don't have any authority to say what's right and wrong, good or bad. That would be the height of arrogance.
And I thought it was the liberals who were relativists. Nope. Post-modern Kool-Aid for everyone.