LETTER- Skeptic wrong word for warming doubters

I would caution in using the word "skeptic" when describing Pat Michaels and others climate change contrarians. [December 10: "Pelt Michaels: Climategate includes swipe at Pat"]

A skeptic, as recently by John Rennie of Scientific American, is one who favors "dispassionate, rational inquiry, a respect for scientific thought and a well-grounded doubt in ghosts, astrology, creationism and homeopathy."

It is proper to view climate change science with a healthy dose of skepticism, but the scientific evidence for anthropogenic global warming is overwhelming and comes from many different sources. The so-called "scandal" will not change the scientific results from sources all over the world, but instead highlight a serious problem with scientific communication to the public and public distrust of science.

Nicole Gugliucci
Charlottesville

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