by Nic Lewis
Official estimates of future global warming may be overstated.
The scientific method remains the best way to solve many problems, but bias, overconfidence and politics can sometimes lead scientists astray
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science, Uncertainty
By Nic Lewis
This is a brief comment on a new paper[i] by a mathematician in the Exeter Climate Systems group, Femke Nijsse, and two better known colleagues, Peter Cox and Mark Williamson. I note that Earth Systems Dynamics published the paper despite one of the two peer reviewers recommending against acceptance without further major revisions. But neither of the reviewers appear to have raised the issue that I focus on here. Continue reading
by Judith Curry
Some reflections, stimulated by yesterday’s Congressional Hearing, on the different strategies of presenting Congressional testimony.
Posted in Politics, Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
How valid conclusions often lay hidden within research reports, masked by plausible but unjustified conclusions reached in those reports. And how the IPCC institutionalizes such masking errors in climate science.
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science, Uncertainty
by Judith Curry
Insights into the motivated reasoning of climate scientists, including my own efforts to sort out my own biases and motivated reasoning following publication of the Webster et al. (2005) paper
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
On possibilities, known neglecteds, and the vicious positive feedback loop between scientific assessment and policy making that has created a climate Frankenstein.
Posted in Scientific method
by Judith Curry
Calling on CE Denizens to review the Climate Science Special Report: nominate an official reviewer, or participate in the CE Crowdsourced Review.
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
This post is running parallel to the post Reviewing the Climate Science Special Report (a technical post), to accommodate general discussion on the topic
Posted in Scientific method
by Judith Curry
The scary emergence of Nye’s Quadrant in dominating the public discourse on climate change.
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
Put the ‘consensus’ to a test, and improve public understanding, though an open and adversarial process. – Steve Koonin
Posted in Policy, Scientific method
by Judith Curry
Climate Feedback has interviewed a number of scientists regarding the recent House Hearing on climate science.
Posted in Scientific method
by Judith Curry
My testimony at the House Science Committee Hearing on Climate Science: Assumptions, Policy Implications and the Scientific Method.
Posted in Policy, Scientific method
by Judith Curry
There is a problem with the practice of science. Because of poor scientific practices, and improper incentives, few papers with useful scientific findings are published in leading journals. The problem appears to be growing due to funding for advocacy research.
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science
Posted in Scientific method, Skeptics
by Larry Kummer, from the Fabius Maximus website.
Many factors have frozen the public policy debate on climate change, but none more important than the disinterest of both sides in tests that might provide better evidence — and perhaps restart the discussion. Even worse, too little thought has been given to the criteria for validating climate science theories (aka their paradigm) and the models build upon them.
Posted in Attribution, Scientific method
by Judith Curry
It is important to distinguish between disbelief and nonbelief– between believing a sentence is false and merely not believing it true.
Posted in Scientific method, Skeptics, Sociology of science
“Science is an ongoing race between our inventing ways to fool ourselves, and our inventing ways to avoid fooling ourselves.” – Saul Perlmutter
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
If you think about the costs I’ll pay for raising these concerns, including the cost of damaged relationships with people that I like, I think you will conclude that a personal commitment to science is the only thing that could be big enough to offset these costs. – Paul Romer
Posted in Ethics, Scientific method
by Judith Curry
With this method the dangers of parental affection for a favorite theory can be circumvented. – T.C. Chamberlin
Posted in Scientific method
by Judith Curry
Perhaps my experience in studying the Earth, initially with few restrictions and later with increasingly sophisticated interaction with government sponsors and various planning committees, will provide a perspective on this great transition from science being primarily an intellectual pastime of private persons to its present status as a major contributor to the quality of human life and the prosperity of nations. – Charles Keeling
Posted in History, Scientific method, Sociology of science
by Judith Curry
We are also told of general catastrophes and a succession of deluges, of the alternation of periods of repose and disorder, of the refrigeration of the globe, and of the sudden annihilation of whole races of animals and plants, and other hypotheses, in which we see the ancient spirit of speculation revived, and a desire manifested to cut, rather than patiently to untie, the Gordian knot. – Charles Lyell
Posted in Scientific method
by Judith Curry
The divorce between philosophers and scientists is fairly recent. Its time for a reconciliation.
Posted in Scientific method, Sociology of science, Uncertainty