Do you believe in climate change?" It's a common question, and after being posed the question, most of us would probably pause, try to assess our questioner to judge how ugly or pleasant this conversation might soon get, and then possibly offer an answer. But to a climate scientist, it's a rather strange, even bizarre question. The obvious answer is no, but not because climate is not changing, which it is, and not because humans are not a cause, which we are. The problem is that word, "believe."