The most important battle for truth in the history of the planet

Leaked emails from East Anglia have grabbed the headlines. They don’t cast doubt on anything of scientific substance, but they do teach something about human beings and our inner lives.

The public perception of science is that it works as a free rational enquiry providing certain truth on which we may act. But, of course, it does not really work like that, particularly in a complex, multi-dimensional issue of vital political importance, like climate change.

It was Jean-Francois Lyotard who pointed out that scientists are part of institutions, that these bodies have their own agendas and that it matters who funds them and what the personal motivations of the scientists are etc. The truth of his postmodern critique has been proven many times since he first uttered it, notably in the science of smoking, the influence of pharmaceutical companies and, most recently, with regard to the oil industry and climate change.

Such influences on scientific endeavour do not negate the pursuit of good science, but underline the importance of factoring in our inner motivations as we try to assess it. We all have commitments about life. We tend to take positions on the key issues that we are faced with and our first response is to try to buttress those with evidence.

So it is quite natural and proper for the scientists of East Anglia to develop a commitment about climate change on the basis of where they see the balance of scientific evidence. It is also natural for them to defend their reputation for good science. So when they, in private, identify what they perceive as rogue scientists and do their best to show them up to be just that, they are still doing their job. In public, of course, they will defend their positions with reasoned argument.

This sort of analysis can be extended to those in the sceptical arena. We may ask ‘Why do such a few people have such influence just now?’ The answer lies in the fact that many people in the wider society really want climate change not to be true.  So they will feed on every titbit thrown to them by the sceptics,  seeking to satisfy their thirst to continue ‘business as usual’.

There may be two lessons for us all to take to heart.
The first is to recognise that good science is nurtured by good scientific discourse. People need to challenge one another on rational, evidence-based grounds.
At the same time all of us need to recognise our commitments and the inner life that informs them, for only then will we be open to proper challenge.

In EarthAbbey terms this points to a contemplative task, as we attempt to open up our inner lives and to pray ‘Search me and know me’. This prayer becomes the heart of today’s struggle for the earth.

For a trustworthy blog on the science of climate change I personally recommend RealClimate. There you can find an in-depth analysis on the email issue and an update of the scientific advances since the last IPCC report.

See George Monbiot for examples of industry influences in the debate about climate change.

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