Book contents
- Climate Rationality
- Climate Rationality
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction and Overview
- Part I The Costs of Precautionary Policy
- Part II The Other Side of the Story
- 10 But Is It True?
- 11 “Born in Politics”
- 12 Settling Science and Propagandizing for Action
- 13 Recent Observed Climate Change in Longer-Term Perspective
- 14 Beyond CO2
- 15 Projecting Future Climate from Computer Models and Far, Far Distant Earth History
- 16 The Precautionary Social Cost of Carbon
- Part III Toward Rational Climate Policy
- References
- Index
12 - Settling Science and Propagandizing for Action
The Structure, Process, and Products of the Climate Science Production Complex
from Part II - The Other Side of the Story
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 July 2021
- Climate Rationality
- Climate Rationality
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction and Overview
- Part I The Costs of Precautionary Policy
- Part II The Other Side of the Story
- 10 But Is It True?
- 11 “Born in Politics”
- 12 Settling Science and Propagandizing for Action
- 13 Recent Observed Climate Change in Longer-Term Perspective
- 14 Beyond CO2
- 15 Projecting Future Climate from Computer Models and Far, Far Distant Earth History
- 16 The Precautionary Social Cost of Carbon
- Part III Toward Rational Climate Policy
- References
- Index
Summary
As known not only by lawyers, judges, and regulators but also businesspeople, scientists and pretty much anybody who has ever had to make a decision on the basis of technical assessments of the relevant world, in any tough decision of this sort, there is conflicting evidence and opinion. Some things are known with certainty. We know for certain, for example, that the sun will rise in the east. But most important decisions are taken under conditions of uncertainty. A farmer deciding when to plant his fields with corn should consider evidence about the likelihood of a late, crop-killing frost; in deciding how to design a new product for market, a prudent business will get evidence about likely consumer demand for alternative designs at varying prices; a court deciding whether or not the defendant committed a crime will hear not only the prosecution’s evidence but also the defendant’s. Even after hearing evidence on both sides, a decision maker will not be certain about the state of the world relevant to her decision.
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- Climate RationalityFrom Bias to Balance, pp. 317 - 334Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021