Letters to the Editor

I object to the publication of the article “Knowledge True and False: Scientific Logic and Climate Change” in the March RECORDER. It discredits an entire field of science and its scientists and disparages all of academia. A detailed rebuttal would likely only result in non-productive back and forth exchanges, although the article was rife with misinformation, misinterpretation, and logical fallacies. Support for my position comes from a letter that the head of the American Meteorological Society recently sent to Scott Pruitt, the head of the EPA (see link below). A key sentence in the letter regarding carbon dioxide being the primary driver of global warming is:

“We are not familiar with any scientific institution with relevant subject matter expertise that has reached a different conclusion.“

Expertise is a bedrock for scientific advances in our civilization. The CSEG does not have expertise in climate science and claims none. The article makes unsubstantiated, inflammatory insinuations of misconduct, malfeasance and nefarious intent about another field of science. These are inappropriate in our professional scientific journal. Do the CSEG and RECORDER really want to be a soapbox for non-expert opinion on climate science? I propose that our organization and publications confine their articles and presentations to our area of expertise – exploration geophysics – and leave opinion pieces on climate science to other organizations and media.

AMS letter:
https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/about-ams/ams-position-letters/ letter-to-epa-administrator-pruitt-on-climate-change/

Ken Hedlin

Reply from Chief Editor

Your letter made me think. Thanks, Ken, for speaking up and sharing.

Nicole Willson