Revelation

Albert Gore's fine little film has laid evidence of climate change before the public in a way that makes plainer the difference between his losing politics and those of his adversary in the 2000 election: however intelligent or not he is, he reaches decisions by gathering data and weighing it against itself. By contrast, George Bush takes a more monarchal or even revelational approach: he feels the guidance of some authority or identifies some sort of revelation and follows it wherever it, and it alone, leads him. Since on any scientific view it exists almost entirely in his head, it is immune from contradiction. This is what makes his leadership, such as it is, so pernicious. There is no point in seeking more persuasive arguments or evidence with which to persuade or educate him -- they are not relevant. What is relevant is what the authority says. The only possible issue is whether the authority revealed it, or perhaps whether who revealed it actually is the authority. The response must be uncompromisingly scientific. To paraphrase Marx: Who are you going to believe, your delusions or your own eyes?