If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?

I remember my great grandpa claiming, and it was later supported by both sets of grandparents, that the whole cause of our environmental problems was because they shot a rocket into space, and that put a hole in the ozone layer, and every time they launch another rocket it only makes more holes in the atmosphere.



It turns out that a LOT of really old people believe(d) these kinds of myths and insist they are true.



So that means we have a consensus.



From what I've been hearing with the climate change debate, once you have a consensus, the time for debate is over, and the time to act is NOW. And besides, what if they are right? Isn't it better to act responsibly on the chance that they are right?



So, does this mean we should end the space program and no longer launch satellites, because OLD PEOPLE believe that it is causing holes in the atmosphere?



I mean, WHAT IF THEY ARE RIGHT? Are we willing to take a chance with our children's future? A consensus warned us!If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?I don't know, it's not very scientific to say that because a consensus of X says Y is true, Y is then true. That's totally tossing Western thought and empirical research out the window.



Mike want to look a little closer at that IPCC report. There's two sections; one is the political summary, and one is the scientific summary and report. Guess which one is being touted in the media as evidence of a consensus regarding anthropogenic global warming?If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?
grandpa was right. unfortunately they have to keep sending up satallites to use for everything and anything. the next time they send a shuttle up, see if we don't have a major hurricane. sometimes people will point people in the wrong direction, so no one will be looking at them.



there's alot of "science" that has been proven wrong/right but, it costs too much to change the current thinking.



this is an example, maybe a poor one for what you're asking. since DNA has been discovered, alot of people who were convicted of crimes before it was around have asked that their cases be appealed. they've passed a law stating that they would no longer do that. why? because too many people were being proven innocent and the government can't afford the lawsuits.... pathetic, huh?If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?The global warming consensus is among climate scientists. The people who know more about climate science than anybody on the planet.



Quite clearly, the old people you know are anything but experts on the ozone layer and atmosphere.



A consensus among the ignorant is slightly different than a consensus among the most expert.If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?
Don't trust a consensus- four hundred years ago there was a national consensus that the earth was completely flat and now look ; woops spherical! the best thing to do is go on your opinion on what you beleive and what you know for a fact to be right. eevn if the earth isnt dieing,andits just a ten year heating up of the earth,try and make those little differences anyway. but don't ignore your grandparents you could just learn something from themIf a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?Although I am certain that your great grandpa was a fine gentleman, he was not a scientist with expertise in this area, and he did not know what he was talking about.



I recommend that you start with the reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.



These are reports by scientists with expertise in this subject.





.If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?
A consensus is an absolute abandonment of leadership and a success in achieving the lowest common denominator.If a consensus of old people say something, does that make it true, and the time for debate is over?
Only if the consensus are people who make a difference. Psycology majors masquerading as climate scientists does not equal consensus.
There is a little thing called science that is much more reliable than old wives' tales...The only thing old people have an upper hand on is life experience, but when it comes to matters that are scientifically provable, you should rather trust a bunch of lab guys in white coats, because old people like to talk, but scientists do series of experiments and calculations on the matter, as it is their job...