Can I read In Support of Skepticism on EtoBox?

In Support of Skepticism by Derek Winstanley is a Environmental Science article available to read on EtoBox.

What is In Support of Skepticism about?

In support of skepticism ``Most institutions demand unquali®ed faith; but the institution of science makes skepticism a virtue.'' (Merton, 1962) Most scientists acknowledge the importance of making science relevant and useful in policy making, while recognizing that policy is not, and should not, be based on science alone. In recent decades, investigations of major environmental issues such as climate change, acid rain, smog, and hypoxia have resulted in the conduct of complex integrated assessments. Such assessments organize information for the purpose of improving the eectiveness of policy making. In policy making, especially in a political arena, consensus building is a key ingredient. In attempts to make science relevant and useful, the politics of democracy tend to promote, even in some cases demand ``scienti®c consensus''. However, as a ``community of belief'' develops, skepticism is no longer regarded as a virtue. In a civilization that is founded on science, this is an unfortunate state of aairs and detrimental to our future. In order to appreciate this concern, it is necessary to revisit the central role of skepticism in science. Let us start with a dictionary de®nition of

Who reads In Support of Skepticism?

Author

Derek Winstanley

Publisher

Elsevier Science; Elsevier ; Elsevier BV (ISSN 1462-9011)

Published

2000

Language

EN

Field

Environmental Science (Physical Sciences)