Philosophy and Climate Science

About this book

There continues to be a vigorous public debate in our society about the status of climate science. Much of the skepticism voiced in this debate suffers from a lack of understanding of how the science works – in particular the complex interdisciplinary scientific modeling activities such as those which are at the heart of climate science. In Philosophy and Climate Science, Eric Winsberg shows clearly and accessibly how philosophy of science can contribute to our understanding of climate science, and how it can also shape climate policy debates and provide a starting point for research. Covering a wide range of topics including the nature of scientific data, modeling, and simulation, his book provides a detailed guide for those willing to look beyond ideological proclamations, and enriches our understanding of how climate science relates to important concepts such as chaos, unpredictability and the extent of what we know.

Contents

Preface
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Boxes

1. Introduction
2. Data
3. Models
4. Simulations
5. Chaos
6. Probability
7. Confidence
8. Decision
9. Values
10. Skill
11. Robustness
12. Diversity
13. Social Epistemology
14. Epilogue

Appendix: Structural Stability and the “Hawkmoth Effect”
References
Index

Customer Reviews