: : With backers like those, is it any wonder that Fumento and fellow Hudson-wonk Dennis Avery publish "studies" doubting global warming and in favor of frankenfoods? As usual, all one need do is follow the money.: As usual, all one need do to understand and debate the left is to have a good understanding of fallacies. This one is called a circumstantial ad hominem and you can learn more about it here.
Nonsense. It's not fallacious to say that a person's interests have a bearing on their views; it's a matter of taking the weight of circumstantial evidence and applying it to the instant case. In the above example, we have chemicals manufacturers funding a think tank which produces position papers refuting the correlation between industrial and agricultural chemicals, and global warming, suspicious enough in itself, but even moreso when coupled with the the fact that the vast majority of climatologists support the correlation between industry and global warming.
Could it be that Fumento is indifferent to his paymasters and truly believes global warming is a hoax? I suppose it could be -- but if you're that trusting, Loudon Head, I'd love to play poker with you.
Is it circumstantial ad hominem to say that libertarians oppose environmental regulations even while their environment degrades around them because they have an unreasonable, even irrational, opposition to government?
