Disturbing review of the Cook et al. (2013) 97% paper [View all]

[LouisvilleDem]

John Cook's 2013 paper "Quantifying the Consensus on Anthropogenic Global Warming in the Scientific Literature" was certainly one of the most talked about papers in 2013. I've read a number of criticisms of the paper from various places and always dismissed them for being vague and biased. This review is different. It is an extremely well documented (and long) description of the numerous flaws present in the paper--flaws that say more about the integrity of the lead author (Cook) than anything else.

I found this paragraph near the end to ask some very pertinent questions:

Those climate scientists who defended this garbage upset me the most. What are you doing? On what planet would this kind of study be valid or clean? Are you unfamiliar with the nature of human bias? Is this about environmentalism, about being an environmentalist? Do you think being a staunch leftist or environmentalist is the default rational position, or isomorphic with being pro-science? Do you think that environmentalism and other leftist commitments are simply a set of descriptive facts, instead of an optional ideological framework and set of values? Do you understand the difference between 1) descriptive facts, and 2) values and ideological tenets? I'm trying to understand how you came to defend a study based on the divinations of lay political activists interpreting scientific abstracts. Those scientists who endorsed this study are obligated openly and loudly retract their endorsement, unless you think you can overcome the points raised here and elsewhere. I really want to know what the hell you were thinking. We can't be this sloppy and biased in our read of studies just because they serve our political aims. The publication and promotion of a study this invalid and fraudulent will likely impact the future reception of valid studies of the climate science consensus. You might say that we should've hushed this up for that reason, that I should've remained silent, but that just takes us down another road with an interesting outcome.

http://www.joseduarte.com/blog/cooking-stove-use-housing-associations-white-males-and-the-97