In this seminar we will read and discuss one article or chapter each session. The world currently
faces three combined and related crises: the climate change crisis, the pollution crisis, and the
extinction and biodiversity loss crisis. In this course we will look at topics on the role of science
in these crises, and crucial philosophical questions. For example, topics might include:
- What is scientific consensus? How is it achieved?
- Is the modern scientific approach capable of dealing with global crises? Or is the slow
and conservative approach not able to respond in good time?
- Who should fund climate science?
- What is the role of values in climate science?
- Should scientists be activists?
- What are the responsibilities of scientists towards endangered species?
- Can we rely on new technologies to solve the climate crisis?
- What are the potential impacts of geoengineering?
- Trainer/in: Fenner Stanley Tanswell