SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING

SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING Mysterious, incomprehensible, yet powerful? Difficult, disagreeable, with obscure details?

SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING Faustian bargain

SCIENCE = GAINING KNOWLEDGE Science: systematic, precise, objective -- creativity -- skill -- insight Neutrality unbiased Sound science vs junk science

SCIENCE = GAINING KNOWLEDGE 1.Batteries Scientific Method 2. Bulb 3. Switch

“As scientists we are ethically bound to the scientific method, in effect promising to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but – which means that we must include all doubts, the caveats, the ifs, ands and buts.” Stephen Schneider

THEORY With evidence from a group of related investigations THEORY GENERAL PRINCIPLES A broadly conceived, logically coherent and well- supported concept Simplifies and clarifies our understanding of the world They are the concepts of which we are most sure and may be tested and verified (not proven).

THEORY “It has been proven scientifically……….” Proof is elusive! (science does NOT prove theories) -- scientific interpretations always conditional -- no absolute truth in science (varying degrees of uncertainty) -- acceptance of a theory is always conditional

SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING So why so much controversy given the objectivity of the scientific method?

Why has science failed to provide the certain and unbiased answers on which good policymaking depends? Uncertainty, which scientists treat as a given, a characteristic of all information that must be honestly acknowledged and communicated. Source:

Scientists and Environmental Advocacy

It is a scientist’s responsibility to honestly report the range of plausible cases (i.e., what can happen?), their associated probability distributions (i.e., what are the odds of it happening?), and how such estimates are made in any piece of research. However, can scientists really be completely objective, especially when it comes to controversial environmental subjects like climate change? If a scientist expresses a value preference or opinion about a controversial topic, can he/she still provide an unbiased assessment of the factual components?

Scientists and Environmental Advocacy “We are not just scientists but human beings as well. And like most people we’d like to see the world a better place, which in this context translates into our working to reduce the risk of potentially disastrous climate change.”

Scientific Literacy “I think that scientific and environmental literacy can empower citizens to begin to pick scientific signals out of the political noise that all too often paralyzes the policy process.”