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Tucker Carlson Induces Cognitive Dissonance in Bill Nye the Science Guy over Climate Change (video)
Dilbert.com ^ | 2-28-2017 | Scott Adams

Posted on 02/28/2017 1:33:18 PM PST by servo1969

Here is the best (and weirdest) example of cognitive dissonance you will ever see. The set-up is that Bill Nye, an engineer by training, and a proponent of science, is defending climate science on Tucker's show.

The first weird thing is that Bill Nye starts by talking about cognitive dissonance being the only reason that anyone would be skeptical of global warming. But he seems to not understand the concept of cognitive dissonance because he believes only the other side could be experiencing it. The nature of cognitive dissonance is that you don't know you're in it when you're in it. It is only obvious to observers. If Nye had been objective, he would have noted two equal possibilities: Either the skeptics are experiencing cognitive dissonance or the proponents of climate science are experiencing it. But whoever is in it can't know. It is only obvious to the other side. That's how it works.

Yes, I do the same thing all the time. I call out my critics for being in cognitive dissonance and act as if the problem couldn't be on my end. But in my case, the context is usually that I'm teaching you how to spot it. And I also talk about the specific triggers and "tells" so you can check my work. This video has a clear trigger and an enormous tell. Best example you will ever see.

The set-up for the trigger is that Nye's self-image is that of a rational supporter of science with a command of the facts about climate science. He has made a career recently of defending science, and climate science in particular. Nye's ego depends on being consistent with his pro-science, rational stance. That's who he is.

Tucker then asked Nye a simple question about climate science. He asked how much of the warming is caused by human activity. Nye's entire ego depended on knowing whether human activity is contributing to climate change in a big way, a medium way, or a small way. Tucker wanted some details. How much difference do humans make? After all, Nye had said this was settled science. Tucker just wanted to know what that settled science said.

Nye didn't know. And by not knowing that simple answer about the percentage of human contribution to warming - the only issue that really mattered to the topic - he proved in public that his opinions on science are not based on facts or knowledge. Nye tried and tried to dodge the question, but Tucker was relentless. That was the trigger. Nye could plainly see, thanks to Tucker's simple question, that his belief in science was just a belief, because he didn't actually know the science. When your self-image and ego get annihilated on live television, you can't simply admit you have been ridiculous all along. Your brain can't let you do that to yourself. So instead, it concocts weird hallucinations to force-glue your observations into some sort of semi-coherent movie in which you are not totally and thoroughly wrong. That semi-coherent movie will look like a form of insanity to observers.

Look for Nye to go totally mental in the last minute of the clip, changing the topic to political leaks for no apparent reason. That's your tell. His brain just sort of broke right in front of you.

People do and say dumb things all the time, and it isn't always cognitive dissonance. That's why you look for the trigger to make sure the "tell" was what you thought it was.

To be fair, spotting cognitive dissonance is more like bird-watching than science. Sometimes you misidentify a bird. But this example is like an ostrich sitting on your lap. Hard to miss. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN5L2q6hfWo


TOPICS: Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: bill; billnye; carlson; change; climate; cognitive; dissonance; fakescience; guy; nye; science; tucker
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To: 21twelve

Antarctica has stayed south. The time of forests was not at all contemporary. It was a time so long ago that the atmosphere was much denser.


61 posted on 02/28/2017 6:25:25 PM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: Moonman62

Well, the polar-adjacent areas. The North Pole is an ocean. Most of Antarctica is a high plateau which would resist melting just from altitude.


62 posted on 02/28/2017 6:27:43 PM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: Tench_Coxe

“bReaktor” should be “break”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I like bReaktor better and that’s what I’m going to use from now on, by gollies!

Case closed.


63 posted on 02/28/2017 8:21:57 PM PST by Graybeard58 (Bill and Hillary Clinton are the penicillin-resistant syphilis of our political system.)
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Nye is a politician.


64 posted on 03/01/2017 2:48:19 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: dhs12345
What does that have to do with climate change?

LOOK!

Over THERE!!

65 posted on 03/01/2017 4:00:09 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Claud

Didn’t the last big warming trend create the scablands of the Columbia river?


66 posted on 03/01/2017 4:02:41 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: editor-surveyor

But it didn’t come in a cardboard box then!


67 posted on 03/01/2017 4:03:51 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: lepton

Fill tub nearly full.

Place a LARGE block of floating ice in it.

Place a mark at the level of the surface of the water.

Come back later when the ice has melted.

Where is the mark?

Above or below the current surface of the water?


68 posted on 03/01/2017 4:06:53 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: servo1969

I often take the same tact Tucker did. I usually asked Climate Hoaxers: “You’re saying man has caused the climate to warm. What should the temperature be today?”

After sounds of synaptic gaps shorting out all over their brain, they usually go directly to the name calling stage of the debate.


69 posted on 03/01/2017 4:07:13 AM PST by IamConservative (Hillary walks while 100's of teens get prosecuted for mishandling Miley Cyrus MP3's..)
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To: Graybeard58

Sounds like yet another Marvel SuperDude!!

(or Dudette)


70 posted on 03/01/2017 4:07:45 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Gene Eric
Nye is a politician.

No one knows yer a dog on the internet.

71 posted on 03/01/2017 4:08:33 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: AZ_Alt

So....you’re saying you believe in Gorebull warming?


72 posted on 03/01/2017 5:22:12 AM PST by Beagle8U (Long live Yoga Pants! ( and boycott 84 lumber. Let's bankrupt the bastards!))
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To: Elsie

Are you arguing with something I said?


73 posted on 03/01/2017 5:47:34 AM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: Elsie

Yup. When you are losing an argument, change the subject.


74 posted on 03/01/2017 6:59:32 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: DH

Actually, the “Records” we have literally are only about 150 years. But, the information we have from rock formations and other things indicate that some 13,500 years ago, Chicago was under 3000 feet of ice. So, yes, we’ve seen some warming. And it’s been a good thing.


75 posted on 03/01/2017 7:25:30 AM PST by spacewarp (FreeRepublic, Rush's show prep since foundation.)
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To: lepton
Are you arguing with something I said?

Nope.

Just explain how ANYONE can make a test FOR THEMSELVES that will illustrate what would happen to the existing shorelines if all the Northern floating ice would melt.


I provided no 'answer'.

That is left to the student to find out; if they are really wanting to know.

76 posted on 03/02/2017 4:47:12 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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