Category Archives: The scientific method

The origins debate

Posted on March 13, 2023 by ...and Then There's Physics

I’ve mostly tried to avoid the Covid origins debate, but I listened to a very good Guruspod episode, where they covered this. It was an interview with Eddie Holmes, Kristian Andersen, and Michael Worobey, and was partly intended as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientists, The philosophy of science, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , , | 493 Comments

Escape from model land

Posted on February 17, 2023 by ...and Then There's Physics

I listened to an interesting podcast that some of the regulars may find interesting. It was on the Volts podcast and was on the abuse (and proper use) of climate models. It is an interview with Erica Thompson, who has … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Research, The philosophy of science, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

Climate science as a social process

Posted on February 5, 2023 by ...and Then There's Physics

I came across a paper that might be of interest to regular readers of this blog. It’s by Hans von Storch and is a Brief communication: Climate science as a social process – history, climatic determinism, Mertonian norms and post-normality. … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, physicists, Research, Resilience, Scientists, The philosophy of science, The scientific method, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 74 Comments

Plausible scenarios

Posted on January 16, 2023 by ...and Then There's Physics

New Scientist has a recent article about [t]he worst-case climate scenarios are no longer plausible today. This is a topic that has been covered here before, and is partly motivated by a paper discussed in this post. The basic premise … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, ClimateBall, ClimateBall Bingo, economics, Scientists, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , | 242 Comments

The role of mathematical modelling

Posted on September 18, 2022 by ...and Then There's Physics

Christina Pagel and Kit Yates have an article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on the Role of mathematical modelling in future pandemic response policy. It’s part of a series in the BMJ on the UK’s covid-19 inquiry. I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Research, Scientists, The philosophy of science, The scientific method, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 203 Comments

World Atmospheric CO2

Posted on May 20, 2022 by ...and Then There's Physics

Early this year, a journal called Health Physics published a paper on World Atmospheric CO2, Its 14C Specific Activity, Non-fossil Component, Anthropogenic Fossil Component, and Emissions (1750–2018). The paper concluded that Our results show that the percentage of the total … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, physicists, Research, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , , , | 106 Comments

How scientists failed the pandemic test

Posted on January 14, 2022 by ...and Then There's Physics

Philip Ball has an interesting article about UK science advice called [q]uiet, uncritical, obedient: how the UK’s scientists failed the pandemic test. It make some good points about there appearing to have been collusion between the science advisors and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Policy, Science, Scientists, The philosophy of science, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , | 57 Comments

Maybe a little science denial is actually in order?

Posted on December 27, 2021 by ...and Then There's Physics

I ended up in a brief discussion on Twitter with Matthew Nisbet, Professor of Communication, Public Policy, and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, and Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology in Society at the University of Cambridge. Matthew Nisbet … Continue reading →

Posted in advocacy, Environmental change, Policy, The philosophy of science, The scientific method | Tagged , , , | 140 Comments

Some reflections on (corona) truth wars

Posted on June 9, 2021 by ...and Then There's Physics

I wrote this in response to a paper by Jaron Harambam called The Corona Truth Wars, published in a journal called Science and Technology Studies. I submitted it to this journal but it was (desk?) rejected because they felt that … Continue reading →

Posted in advocacy, Climate change, Philosophy for Bloggers, Policy, Scientists, The scientific method | Tagged , , , , , | 59 Comments

Science in the Time of COVID-19

Posted on March 23, 2021 by ...and Then There's Physics

There was an interesting BBC Radio 4 item, hosted by Sonia Sodha, on Science in the Time of COVID-19. If you can’t access it, there is a related Guardian article. I’ve listened to it a few times, and I’m still … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy for Bloggers, Science, Scientists, Sound Science (tm), The philosophy of science, The scientific method, We Are Science | Tagged , , , , , , | 63 Comments