Sunday
Feb062011
by 
Bishop Hill
Bishop Hill Singh low, sweet skeptic
Feb 6, 2011 Climate: Sceptics There has been a conference today of skeptics - that's the Skeptic Society lot - and one of the star speakers was science writer Simon Singh, fresh from his contretemps with James Delingpole.
As far as I can tell from the tweets, the highlights of his talk were:
- a proposal for a credibility spectrum on climate change, with the Royal Society at one end and Nigel Lawson at the other
- a proposal that us climate sceptics should henceforth be known as "climate numpties".
So, an argument from authority and some name-calling. Is it just me that finds this rather unimpressive from people who claim to be all about science and logic?
(As ever, please don't respond in kind.)
Reader Comments (77)
"a proposal for a credibility spectrum on climate change, with the Royal Society at one end and Nigel Lawson at the other "
He's right, isn't he ? Lawson's credibility as a 124 year old Thatcherite is absolutely zero. The reason people don't believe in AGW is nothing to do with science. They know it is a media generated scam. In my view, there is no more point in arguing with a scientist than with a train driver. It won't change the destination. Both are employees doing what they are told to feed their children.
Martin Durkin is all right.
Perhaps Simon has a military background as well as a scientific one.
Numpty is a freqently used term in the Australian Army. Along with choco, cluster and a few other quite descriptive ones.
And I wouldn't class Simon as a FigJam. Prof Cox might come closer
As I noted in another thread, "numpties" can be used in other Gaelic speaking countries, such as Ireland. I have heard the word used to refer to senile people who are incontinent. I heard it so used in Donegal not far from the NI border so it is probable that it migrated from Scotland. Most of the Church of Ireland church goers and just about all the Presbyterians are Scots Irish, many with strong ties to Scotland. Thus it is not surprising to find the word in ROI and NI.
And I have heard the expression "numpty Pamper","numpty pad" or simply "numpty" used to refer to adult diapers, an obvious play on the word "Pampers".
While those of you with Scottish roots may have a less pernicious use of the word, I would advise you to be cautious in using it in rural Ireland. You might get your heart ripped out of your living body.
And I would not be surprised if the Dubs use it as well.
"Numpty" was in common military usage in the early 80's, more so in Scottish Naval bases, from where I presume it's usage spread far and wide.
Shub
"shamans, chiropractors, astrologers, numerologists"
I think that's a bit hard on chiropractors - they are very good at sorting people's backs out, an area where the official cure is still a dose of painkillers. When Singh called their treatments 'bogus' my sympathies were with them, and although suing Singh turned out to be counterproductive, he was still out of order. I've had useful treatment from chiropractors, and chiropractic vets are popular with horse owners, who tend to be fussy about who treats their animals.
Anyway, isn't Singh a numerologist..? :-)
The verbal war reminds me in a way of the Gary Larson cartoon "What we say to dogs" (e.g. here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/apotheker/10830160/).
What we say to warmists "I have doubts about the attribution of human influence on the climate - don't you think the magnitude of warming from anthropogenic CO2 might be a little overstated? "
What they hear "I don't believe in global warming"
(How they respond "You denier! You climate numpty!")
"Have fun, Monbiot is out in the Welsh hills planting lettuce seed, Iceberg lettuce seed.", wrote Green Sand, Feb 6, 2011 at 7:08 PM.
Well - those seeds will have been washed away: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12379744.
Can't make up my mind if this is Climate Justice or Weather Justice ...
Popular Scottish idioms for describing those less fortunate in the intelligence stakes;
1. Ba'heid or heid-the-ba (someone who thinks he is smart but is actually quite stupid)
2. Bampot ( a stupid person who is also unhinged)
3. Choob or tube (an outright idiot)
4. Diddie (someone prone to bouts of idiocy)
5. Dobber (a ba'heid, bampot and tube all rolled into one)
6. Numpty (a useless stupid person)
7. Nyaff (an annoying stupid person)
On reflection it would appear that Simon Singh is more ba'heid than bampot.
Mac
What a wonderful Lexicon you provide.
Agreed re Singh, although Irvine Welsh gives the spelling as 'heid-the-baw' ;-)
Verity Jones
Absolutely spot on with the Larsen 'What we say to dogs/what they hear' comparison (9:39am). I wish I'd thought of that.
It really is true. Sticking with the dog behaviour metaphor, the typical response is Pavlovian.
"Listen up you Numpties! Which one of you is Skepticus?"
"Me! I'm Skepticus!"
"No! I'm Skepticus!"
"I'm Skepticus!"
etc etc etc etc
I just read through Simon Singh's post on Delingpole. ( I am always late into these things).
What is the guy saying really, in that article? Nothing much except an 'argument from authority', and a bit of shacking up with a fellow BBC presenter.
I think "ba" is East of Scotland and "baw" is West of Scotland (both meaning ball).
There is also the Scottish phrase "bawbags", which describes someone who stupidly behaves outwith gentle society's norms.
Certain eco-activists come to mind with that phrase.
There is also the Scottish adjective "glaikit" - outwardly acting or being foolish. It is derived from the older Scottish word "glaik" meaning prank or trick.
Well, where do you start with the word "glaik" in the climate change debate.
Mac
Is it perhaps the other way around? With 'baw' the Edinburgh commonplace spelling?
Mac - I've had a quick look through the Scots Thesaurus:
my favourite so far is ablach - a person insignificant or contemptible through lack of intellect.
Also:
blumf (Bnf, Abd.)
dobbie (Fife, Stlg, Edb, Kcb)
dozie (Rox)
dovie (Fife)
dulbert
geck
glaik
glipe
glundie
gomeral
greenhorn
guff
gype
haiveral
hinkum sneev(l)ie (Abd)
need heid
puddin
snoddie (Rox)
souf (Abd)
We seem to have a lot of words for idiots in Scotland.
sorry typo, need heid should be neep heid, (i.e. turnip head)
On his website Singh states: 'I am an author, journalist and TV producer, specialising in science and mathematics, the only two subjects I have the faintest clue about.' So why does he now put himself about as being so expert in one branch of a very dubious science?
Philhippos
See the latest post - he's not putting himself out as an expert - he's admitting limited knowledge.
Argumentum ad verecundiam and argumentum ad hominem as highlights.
Wow.
Sweet.
"specialising in science.."
What - all of it?
BH
See the latest post - he's not putting himself out as an expert - he's admitting limited knowledge.
And what appears to be Divine Revelation.
@Shub (Feb 6, 2011 at 11:27 PM)
'Interesting' responses from Martin Durkin there. He seems to be taking the same approach to his adversaries as Richard North, i.e. you can't reason with them / fight fire with fire / might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb etc.
I think the jury's out on that. Certainly he presents a massive open goal for warmists to say to the uncommitted 'look - this is the kind of person who disagrees with us'.
Then again, being nice didn't do anything for David Bellamy or Johnny Ball once they 'outed' themselves as AGW sceptics...
lapogus
Thanks for the list. It prompted me to reread McAuslan's Courtmartial in The General Danced at Dawn.
'Sumph' said the President with relish. 'That's strong'. He looked inquiring, and Prosecution sighed. 'Sumph, a dullard, an uninspired person, a stick-in-the-mud....'
@lopagus
"We seem to have a lot of words for idiots in Scotland."
For the same reason that Eskimos have a lot of words for snow, perhaps, you know, to distinguish one type of snow from another. :)
Every nationality think they have the greatest number of idiots in the world and those idiots just happen to be the ones in power. So, there's nothing exceptional about Scotland in that respect, I'm afraid.
So if you're a Scot, lift your spirits. (Spirit, bonnie, not kilt!)
Omigod! I was so certain that only bonnies wore kilt. Turns out Bonnies wear skirt. Sorry to all bonnies out there, I meant the ones wearing kilt. I shall do repentance for this sin.