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February 14, 2010
Climate? Weather? History?
Well maybe the Medieval Climate Optimum --- really, that's what people used to call it --- wasn't so bad after all. And maybe, despite certain medievalists worrying about denialism, things are more complicated on the natural science side of things than humanists can see.
Except when it comes to analyzing motivation.
Where we're not so bad at spotting self-interest. And it turns out that carelessness and self-interest have driven terrifying conclusions that have had policy consequences already.
Don't believe me? Read this.
And this.
And this.
Not that I don't think things might be warmer....but I do NOT think that scientists are unmotivated, disinterested, or all that much more careful than anyone else.
I'm sure as hell going to ask questions about the Campus Climate Compact - and why in these times of fiscal difficulty we should go out of our fiscal way for polar bears. Because, you know, they slipped up and put me on the committee. I'm all for buildings that save us money over 20 years - but I'm not in favor of buildings that can't. And LEED standards are designed by people who are fallible.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at February 14, 2010 9:46 PM