Environmental science class

[Limelight]

Hello everyone. I'm new to this online forum. I just wanted to share a current experience and welcome any feedback or suggestions. Anyways, this summer I decided to take an environmental science class (mostly for some extra credits and to kill some time by learning something). The course was fairly simple and the instructor was very engaging and worked hard w/ the individual student. Everything was going very well for the most part until the last class, where we had to present and discuss an environmental issue. I chose global warming- being somewhat familiar but not enough educated on the topic. I was clear and concise- addressing what global warming is, it's primary causes, effects, and solutions. I further added that certain numbers in my research were inconsistent and had a margin of error due to regional factors, etc. I also added that these numbers were somewhat off & some information has been both dismissed completely or distorted due to large political, personal and business agendas (i.e. Al Gore). These numbers were a source from the studies conducted from public environmentalist groups (the IPCC, the Environmental Protection Agency, the VPIRG, the UNFCCC, etc.). "Global Warming" has basically created a market within itself. I then added that many environmentalists want the government (being the largest emitter of GH gasses and users of energy) to continuously regulate & take action, creating more restraints on honest & hardworking businesses and human rights (which has in my opinion created more pollution, turned great corporations into corrupt government machines, stagnated capitalism, and destroyed our economy). The classroom's reaction was utter silence. One person asked if I was implying global warming didn't exist and it was created as an evil plan, and everyone laughed nodding their head. When I got my final grade, it was dramatically reduced from an A to a B- apparently due to my grade on the presentation. I'm not really frustrated. I'd usually be cursing the world but I feel nothing but confusion. I don't understand people. I don't understand myself, knowing that I would receive such a reaction from a class full of young "hippie" and progressive students and instructor. I know I shouldn't have compromised pure reason and my personal merit for a group of loathsome leaches. Some may disagree and say I wouldn't have sacrificed my self/well-being as it was for a grade that would further benefit me in the long-term. At the same time, standing my ground is just as beneficial for my self-esteem and self-reliance. Any feedback? Sorry for rambling.

[softwareNerd]

One thing you should do is to think through why your argument was not convincing. Was it only the blindness of the listeners, or was there something you could have changed?

[Limelight]

One thing you should do is to think through why your argument was not convincing. Was it only the blindness of the listeners, or was there something you could have changed?

Good question....

Well my presentation was to basically define global warming and discuss the effects, causes, and solutions. It wasn't as if I had my own irrelevant agenda. Since it was an environmental science class my statement on how the facts of global warming have been swayed wasn't really an argument. I was merely pointing out to the class that we don't have conclusive information regarding the full effects and how it will eventually turn out due to many factors, one being political. Unfortunately, I wasn't given enough time to go into extreme detail just on that one particular subject. At one point I did discuss my friend's father who was the VP for ExxonMobil's non-partisan research/development in alternative energy/useage and the contracts they had w/ Nissan and some other automobile companies to further conduct studies and invest in certain types of hybrids, etc.- without government funding/intervention. The problem is that I met all the criteria for the presentation (without a doubt) yet received negative feedback when it came to one small topic in turn effecting my grade.

[Thales]

I know I shouldn't have compromised pure reason and my personal merit for a group of loathsome leaches. Some may disagree and say I wouldn't have sacrificed my self/well-being as it was for a grade that would further benefit me in the long-term. At the same time, standing my ground is just as beneficial for my self-esteem and self-reliance. Any feedback? Sorry for rambling.

Well, you did sign up for an "environmental science" class. Big mistake! You were at a real disadvantage in a class like that, because all of the premises have been set in place against you and they've been in place for decades. The ingrained thinking of the entire class is going to be biased heavily against anyone who says what you said. I think you would have been better off taking a physics course, a biology course, etc., something worth while! Those kinds of courses would offer substantive science you could use for your entire life.

Anyway, what you did was great. I mean, you were independent minded, you spoke up in the name of reason, and some blowhard, simpleton took issue.

As to the question "Does global warming exist...", that question is canard, of course global warming exists. The global always warms and cools. What doesn't exist is catastrophic global warming, which is the big bogey man of the left. It's the big lie, and a good percentage of scientists would say as much.

If you see that student again you might recommend that he watch the South Park episode "Two Days Before The Day After Tomorrow". Tell him he reminds you of that. "ManBearPig" is another good one.

Btw, I would confront the professor strongly about the grade. I would not put up with a professor doing that to me.

[Maximus]

Al Gore is here to save us from ManBearPig!

[softwareNerd]

Limelight,

As Thales points out, when one takes subjects like environmental science where ideology plays a huge role, one runs the risk of getting less credit if one has a radically different ideology. Still, that does not mean you accept it. As Thales suggested, you could talk to the professor and see if he can justify the poor grade. You might be surprised what one can get, just by asking.

All in all, it sounds like it was a good experience for you, to stand up and tell people what you really thought.

As an aside, here's a well-presented congressional testimony against GW.

[DavidOdden]

One suggestion is to ask the instructor for a (written) explanation of his rationale for your grade. I suggest asking for a written one because that forces him to be more explicit about the expectations / requirements versus your actual performance. Hypothetically speaking, I could easily imagine a just basis for giving you a grade that was less than you hoped for -- I've done it many times, myself. Suppose that your claim is that so-called global warming effects are entirely explainable by physical variation that man does not contribute to, plus measurement artifacts. Then suppose you do a really lousy job actually proving this, and instead you just assert that it's a fact without giving any evidence. Then B- is a generous grade. If the instructor tells you that there was a certain conclusion that you were supposed to reach, then you will know why you got the grade you did.

[Limelight]

Hahaha. I'm all too familiar with that South Park episode... even my progressive friends love it and say they see some truth in it.

On the grading rubric, my instructor wrote "all criteria well covered"... "however, lack of confidence and eye contact towards classroom" (I have diagnosed anxiety "disorders"), "stated information was mostly said to be "implied" or "speculated by research groups"- no concrete numbers", and "shared opinions during discussion were somewhat contradictory and questionable". I will email him and ask for him to specify.