An Inconvenient Truth is a Film narrated by former Vice President Al Gore. It explains the science of global warming and its consequences. To make his point he uses rhetorical techniques that makes the complex science easy to understand. He appeals to our to make his case for radical change in the way we think and act in regards to the environment. Appealing to our reasoning is one of the main techniques that Gore uses. Although he uses other techniques, His use of well-established scientific fact is what gives his argument credibility. Gore's use of metaphors and emotional appeals would not have been effective on their own. However, without the hard data, Gore would not be credible. He needed both.
Science and fact are the crux of Gore’s argument. However, the public is not always motivated or persuaded by science. In Keith Miller’s article, The Nature Of Science And The Public Debate Over Anthropogenic Global Warming he explains why scientists can’t always communicate with the public effectively,
Common misconceptions include the following:
(1) an emphasis on "facts" and a demand
for "proof"; (2) a view of theories that
equates them with unsubstantiated
guesses; (3) a strong discomfort with
uncertainty and unresolved questions;
(4) a failure to recognize the importance
of scale and context in recognizing trends
and formulating explanations; and (5) a
rejection of scientific consensus because
it is perceived as politically or philosophically
motivated. (Miller)
Al Gore does a very effective job of explaining the basic science of global warming. The sun’s rays warm the earth but most of those rays are actually being reflected back out into space. However, the many greenhouse gasses we put into the atmosphere, carbon dioxide in particular, via factories and cars trap the reflected sunlight causing extra heat to be reflected back to earth. This is causing a rapid temperature increase like we have never seen before. However, without the emotion appeals he uses he could not reach a mass audience.
Gore shows, with the use of graphs, the correlation between carbon dioxide and temperature: with each rise in carbon dioxide concentration, the temperature rises as well. He then proceeds to show what the carbon dioxide concentration of that current year was, and it was much higher than it had ever been. He also shows what the concentration would be in the next 50 years if nothing were to change-- the carbon dioxide concentration was off the charts. Gore claims, “If we allow that to happen, it is deeply unethical.” This statement is much like The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold. Leopold argues that it is our responsibility as people to respect and uphold our land rather than conquer it; that nature has as much a right for existence as we as people do. As a generalization, we are careless and almost reckless towards our planet. It is slowly catching up to us, and one of the consequences is global warming. As a result of global warming come many more consequences: glaciers and polar ice caps melting; rivers and streams drying up; and natural disasters are becoming increasingly more devastating. Both Gore and Leopold are saying that we don’t have the freedom to do as we please on this planet; we have an obligation to sustain the natural beauty and the natural life cycle of Earth.
Gore doesn’t only use science to persuade his audience. He makes several emotional appeals. He talks about saving the world for the sake of his son, the farm where he grew up, all in an effort to make global warming more personal to us. Gore uses many graphs of scientific calculations to easily convey his points. One of the graphs that made a major impact was the ice core graph that showed temperatures from thousands of years in the past. It showed that the Earth went through normal cycles of heating and cooling, but in the past several thousand years there was an obvious heating trend caused by fossil fuels being burned by humans. If Gore doesn’t exist the graphs make no impact and if the graphs don’t exist, Gore would just be talking to a wall. They are both essential to hitting home with his points. Both Gore’s emotional appeal and the charts hard data are needed to drive the point home. Gore is raising awareness about an important issue, and awareness is the first step to a solution. In Nongnapas Thiengkamol’s article, Development Of Model Of Environmental Education And Inspiration Of Public Consciousness Influencing To Global Warming Alleviation, he states the importance of awareness.
The environmental problem can’t absolutely separate
from individual level. The main cause is revealed
that the people do not have enough knowledge and
understanding, and lack of consciousness, awareness,
and attitude to practice proper behavior including to
realize that they must have very important
parts to take responsibility for conservation
of natural resources and environment. (Thiengkamol)
Getting the word out about global warming is not going to be easy. In Thomas Fowler’s article The Global Warming Conundrum, he explains why having an honest conversation about climate change is difficult,
Unfortunately, such issues drive
partisans to employ divisive rhetoric and
obfuscating arguments, with the result that
it can be difficult for an objective observer--
who simply wants to understand the issues
at stake—to make a reasoned judgment. (Fowler)
However, Gore has laid out an effective model for talking about the challenges we are going to face. Stick to the facts, and make them clear to the audience. You also must make sure that you are connecting with them on a personal level so that they understand the importance of the facts you are laying out.
Science and fact are the crux of Gore’s argument. However, the public is not always motivated or persuaded by science. In Keith Miller’s article, The Nature Of Science And The Public Debate Over Anthropogenic Global Warming he explains why scientists can’t always communicate with the public effectively,
Common misconceptions include the following:
(1) an emphasis on "facts" and a demand
for "proof"; (2) a view of theories that
equates them with unsubstantiated
guesses; (3) a strong discomfort with
uncertainty and unresolved questions;
(4) a failure to recognize the importance
of scale and context in recognizing trends
and formulating explanations; and (5) a
rejection of scientific consensus because
it is perceived as politically or philosophically
motivated. (Miller)
Al Gore does a very effective job of explaining the basic science of global warming. The sun’s rays warm the earth but most of those rays are actually being reflected back out into space. However, the many greenhouse gasses we put into the atmosphere, carbon dioxide in particular, via factories and cars trap the reflected sunlight causing extra heat to be reflected back to earth. This is causing a rapid temperature increase like we have never seen before. However, without the emotion appeals he uses he could not reach a mass audience.
Gore shows, with the use of graphs, the correlation between carbon dioxide and temperature: with each rise in carbon dioxide concentration, the temperature rises as well. He then proceeds to show what the carbon dioxide concentration of that current year was, and it was much higher than it had ever been. He also shows what the concentration would be in the next 50 years if nothing were to change-- the carbon dioxide concentration was off the charts. Gore claims, “If we allow that to happen, it is deeply unethical.” This statement is much like The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold. Leopold argues that it is our responsibility as people to respect and uphold our land rather than conquer it; that nature has as much a right for existence as we as people do. As a generalization, we are careless and almost reckless towards our planet. It is slowly catching up to us, and one of the consequences is global warming. As a result of global warming come many more consequences: glaciers and polar ice caps melting; rivers and streams drying up; and natural disasters are becoming increasingly more devastating. Both Gore and Leopold are saying that we don’t have the freedom to do as we please on this planet; we have an obligation to sustain the natural beauty and the natural life cycle of Earth.
Gore doesn’t only use science to persuade his audience. He makes several emotional appeals. He talks about saving the world for the sake of his son, the farm where he grew up, all in an effort to make global warming more personal to us. Gore uses many graphs of scientific calculations to easily convey his points. One of the graphs that made a major impact was the ice core graph that showed temperatures from thousands of years in the past. It showed that the Earth went through normal cycles of heating and cooling, but in the past several thousand years there was an obvious heating trend caused by fossil fuels being burned by humans. If Gore doesn’t exist the graphs make no impact and if the graphs don’t exist, Gore would just be talking to a wall. They are both essential to hitting home with his points. Both Gore’s emotional appeal and the charts hard data are needed to drive the point home. Gore is raising awareness about an important issue, and awareness is the first step to a solution. In Nongnapas Thiengkamol’s article, Development Of Model Of Environmental Education And Inspiration Of Public Consciousness Influencing To Global Warming Alleviation, he states the importance of awareness.
The environmental problem can’t absolutely separate
from individual level. The main cause is revealed
that the people do not have enough knowledge and
understanding, and lack of consciousness, awareness,
and attitude to practice proper behavior including to
realize that they must have very important
parts to take responsibility for conservation
of natural resources and environment. (Thiengkamol)
Getting the word out about global warming is not going to be easy. In Thomas Fowler’s article The Global Warming Conundrum, he explains why having an honest conversation about climate change is difficult,
Unfortunately, such issues drive
partisans to employ divisive rhetoric and
obfuscating arguments, with the result that
it can be difficult for an objective observer--
who simply wants to understand the issues
at stake—to make a reasoned judgment. (Fowler)
However, Gore has laid out an effective model for talking about the challenges we are going to face. Stick to the facts, and make them clear to the audience. You also must make sure that you are connecting with them on a personal level so that they understand the importance of the facts you are laying out.