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All IPCC definitions taken from Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I Contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Annex I, Glossary, pp. 941-954. Cambridge University Press.

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Myth Deconstruction - Sun (EN)

Reference

Deconstructing climate misinformation to identify reasoning errors
Cook, J., Ellerton, P., & Kinkead, D. (2018). Deconstructing climate misinformation to identify reasoning errors. Environmental Research Letters, 13(2), 024018. Link to PDF & Link to Supplement

Step-by-step deconstruction

The table below is inspired by the simplified supplement and may differ slightly from what is shown in the GIF. This is mostly due to make the text fit into the available space which made it necessary to reword some of it.

1 Identify claim The sun is causing currently observed climate change on Earth.
2 Argument structure Premise 1: The Sun is the main source of energy in our climate.
Premise 2: If the Sun radiates more energy, the Earth warms.
Premise 3: Solar activity is increasing.
Conclusion: The Sun is causing global warming.
3 Inferential Intent

Deduction

4 Validity VALID
4a Hidden premises NONE
5 Check premises Premise 1 is true.
Premise 2 is true.
Premise 3 is false: slothful induction. The Sun has been getting colder for the last 30 years as the Earth has been warming.
6 Status of claim FALSE
The argument valid but contains a false premise.
7 Summary of fallacies Slothful induction: Ignores the fact that the Sun has been getting colder for the last 30 years as the Earth has been warming. Sun and climate are moving in opposite directions. Further confirming our understanding is the fact that changing patterns in the yearly and daily cycle confirm human-caused global warming, while ruling out the sun.

Related material

Sun & climate: moving in opposite directions

Blog post with background information about the myth deconstructions: Myth deconstructions as animated gifs

To learn more about the fallacies used in the myth deconstructions: A history of FLICC: the 5 techniques of science denial


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