The backgammon effect is an illegal move taken when a player moves his checkers not according to the dice rolls, but according to the numbers he sees in his imagination, supported by his will power and the opponent's oversight. It is usually not considered as cheating, since the untruthful move was not performed intentionally, and if the opponent notices it on time, the player usually corrects it by making a proper move.
The backgammon effect has nothing to do with some evil spiritual forces. The logic behind it is simple; if you want to
play 6-5 so badly that it is all you can think of, if you would roll 6-4 instead, the missing pip is not going to stop you. You would be 100% convinced you have just rolled this desired pair of numbers and play accordingly.
So what's between the backgammon effect and global warming?
The backgammon effect can explain several arguable human behaviors and beliefs, such as the passionate claim that global warming has anthropogenic reasons and the opposite, no less passionate believe in the natural causes that make earth warmer every year. According to John Steele Gordon of
Commentary Magazine, the one to credit for linking
backgammon with global warming, for some climate scientists and liberal politicians, trusting one believe and denying the other is the best possible move. And why is that so? Probably because it is supported by powerful forces.
