Category Archives: Uncategorized

It’s dangerous!

Posted on July 24, 2019 by

There’s a recent Nature Climate Change article by Shinichiro Asayam, Rob Bellamy, Oliver Geden, Warren Pearce and Mike Hulme. It’s called Why setting a climate deadline is dangerous. The basic idea is that the rise in political rhetoric that sets … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 126 Comments

J R Oppenheimer Asks: Can Science Provide Better Models for Democracy?

Posted on May 31, 2019 by

I came across a collection of 1950’s vintage essays by Robert Oppenheimer that’s been lurking quietly unattended in my book collection for who knows how long. Reading essays by scientifically accomplished people from long ago is always an eye-opener. Bits … Continue reading →

Posted in physicists, Policy, Politics, Uncategorized | 50 Comments

Kenneth Smith

Posted on January 1, 2019 by

Originally posted on …and Then There's Physics:
Today is the 100th anniversary of the start of the first World War. In one of the articles I was reading, there was a comment that it was an event that probably…

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Limits to growth?

Posted on November 12, 2018 by

I’ve been doing some reading to try and better understand the debate between decoupling and degrowth. I should acknowledge upfront that I haven’t really grasped the complexities of these issues, so this post will probably be rather confused and rambling. … Continue reading →

Posted in Carbon tax, Climate change, GRRRROWTH, Policy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 125 Comments

Why do we do research?

Posted on October 25, 2018 by

I thought I would briefly comment a little more about the claims made in John McLean’s thesis. Something to bear in mind is why we do research. Essentially, research is very simply about trying to understand something; to answer some … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Global warming, Research, The philosophy of science, The scientific method, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 50 Comments

On Questioning Authority

Posted on July 29, 2018 by

The discussion of the polysemy (multiple interpretations) of the assertion “science has always been political” has tested the mutual regard that exists between myself and “Willard”, but has not shaken it. I am pleased that we are still friends despite … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 194 Comments

Climate misinformers

Posted on July 2, 2018 by

There’s been a rather lengthy debate on Twitter about Skeptical Science’s Climate Misinformers page. The discussion involved, amongst others, Richard Betts, Peter Jacobs, Steven Mosher, Gavin Cawley, and – briefly – myself. Before I start, I should acknowledge an association … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, ClimateBall, Pseudoscience, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 205 Comments