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
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. |
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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