A Changing Climate for Science
This book offers a critical exploration of first-hand experiences of practicing climate scientists. It tackles the pivotal question of what, precisely, constitutes contemporary scientific practice. The author offers an insider’s account of the experience
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Sophie C. Lewis
A Changing Climate for Science
Sophie C. Lewis Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra, Australia
ISBN 978-3-319-54264-5 DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54265-2
ISBN 978-3-319-54265-2 (eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017936879 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover image: Modern building window © saulgranda/Getty Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
PREFACE: AN APPRENTICESHIP
I’ve wanted to be a scientist since I was a small child. This book tells my story of becoming a scientist, and of struggling to reconcile this journey with my experience as a climate scientist. This is also my story of carving out a new view of science, and eventually of coming to identify myself as a postmodern scientist. To some, this term seems senseless at best, oxymoronic at worst; my aim throughout is to make the seemingly senseless become useful. My story began in 1986 when my parents took me stargazing as a young child in the hope of glimpsing Halley’s Comet. We trudged for some time through the open grassy fields and then we waited, and we waited. It was a pale, grey night. In our part of the world, thick banks of stratus cloud masked the comet’s infrequent voyage across the skies. There was nothing to be seen that night, but still I was thrilled. I didn’t know it at the time, simply and childishly excited, but my interest had been piqued by science. My family spent a lot of time in the foothills of the Australian Alps. As a child in the vast eucalyptus bush I collected furiously—old bones or teeth, snake skins, tadpoles, feathers,
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