Heck climate scientists aren't even that sparing about basic facts. They'll mention that CO2 is a greenhouse gas, but avoid any more technical questions. For example, I only recently found out that (in the absence of other factors or any feedback) temperature is a logarithmic function of CO2 concentration.

So this seems like you've never cracked open any climate/atmospheric science textbook? Because that is pretty basic info. It seems like you're determined to be skeptical despite not really spending much time learning about the state of the science. Also it sounds like you are equivocating between "climate scientist" and "person on the internet who believes in global warming."

My background is particle physics, if someone asked me about the mass of a muon, I'd have to make about a hundred appeals to authority to give them any relevant information, and I suspect climate scientists are in the same boat when talking to people who don't understand some of the basics. I've personally engaged with special relativity crackpots who ask you to justify everything, and keep saying this or that basic fact from the field is an appeal to authority. There is no convincing a determined skeptic, so it's best not to engage.

If you are near a university campus, wait until there is a technical talk on climate modelling and go sit and listen (don't ask questions, just listen). You'll probably be surprised at how vociferous the debate is- climate modelers are serious scientists working hard on perfecting their models.