 |
|
| Debating Science and The Climate Change Debate |
|
| Traditionally there has been little formal effort through coursework to bridge the gap between scientific research and social debates arising from the ethical implications of technological innovations. Consequently, specialists are more comfortable within their area of expertise. But in the case of climate change, the forces driving research are so strong and the public’s lack of knowledge so great that society needs scientists to cross the gap between scientific discourse and public debate. Scientists need to become productive participants in the arena of ethical deliberation. It is equally important for scientists to understand that climate change is not only a research problem. The articulation of an appropriate climate policy will require negotiation among international participants who have different interests and needs. If the process by which an acceptable policy is reached must be fair and democratic, then these normative concepts must also play an important role in the process. Because of this, scientists need to understand how scientific findings can appropriately be incorporated into public debate about issues, and must be prepared to situate scientific considerations within a democratic public debate. This course is designed to help address this need. It entails in-depth study of the international debate over the role of anthropogenic greenhouse gasses [GHG] in the atmosphere and their influence on global climate. |
|
|||||
|
|
||||||
.jpg)
|
||||||
|
||||||
We are no longer taking applications, check back next January to apply for the Debating Science 2008 or see our Environmental Ethics Institute for other course opportunities |
||||||
Clark
Wolf is
Director of Bioethics and Associate Professor of Philosophy
at Iowa State University. Prior to his appointment at
Iowa State, he taught for ten years in the Philosophy
Department at the University of Georgia, where he directed
Masters and Doctoral work in ethics and political philosophy,
and taught a wide variety of graduate and undergraduate
courses in environmental philosophy, ethical theory, and
the philosophy of law. He is the author of well-received
papers on regulation and environmental change, intergenerational
justice, property rights and environmental protection,
and population ethics. Professor Wolf also has substantial
experience organizing and running seminars and teaching
institutes. He was sponsor and co-director of the 2005
Bioethics Institute at Iowa State University, which provided
training in life science ethics to researchers, scientists,
and university-level teachers. This week-long institute
included sessions on animal use, environmental protection,
human subjects research, intellectual liberty for scientists,
ethics and genetic technology, as well as sessions on
ethical theory and reasoning. As Director of the Bioethics
Program at Iowa State University, he has organized symposia
and conferences on a wide variety of different subjects
including Global Climate Change, the Politicization of
Science, Coexistence of Organic and GM Crops, Intellectual
Property, and others. Wolf has broad experience teaching
students at all levels, and has been in demand as a speaker
on a variety of different subjects. His recent work on
climate change, and more broadly on global environmental
change, are directly relevant to the objectives of this
project. About
us | Courses
| Programs | Environmental
Ethics Institute | Resources
| Consulting
The Center for Ethics | 1000 East Beckwith | The University of Montana
| Missoula, MT 59812-2808 | (406) 243-5744 | (406) 243-6633, fax | ethics@mso.umt.edu
|| :: Revised: April, 2007 :: ||
Frontpiece photo: Joseph Mallord William Turner "Rain, Steam and Speed The Great Western Railway" 1844, website by Justin Whitaker