Transcript ecological science

ESA 2013
Ignite
Ecology, Science, and
Environmentalism
Don Strong
Dept. Evolution & Ecology
and
The Bodega Marine Lab
U C Davis
Strong, D. R. 2008. Ecologists and environmentalism. Frontiers in
Ecology and the Environment: Vol. 6, No. 7, pp. 347-347.
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Science is a powerful endeavor.
People hijack and pervert it.
In the name of science…
(Some examples from the Google)
*The Science Diet for your pet,
*“Science” on Fox News,
*Anti-Vaccine science,
*The Skeptical Environmentalist,
*”Sea level is not rising…”,
*The Science of Pyramid Power.
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In the name of science…
NCEAS
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Pragmatic approach
to the
philosophy of science.
William James, Charles S. Peirce, John Dewey, Helen
Longino, James Griesemer.
Science is a human activity with values &
consequences.
If science makes a difference it is true.
Ethical consequences of science.
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Science is not value-free.
The “fact-value” & “constitutivecontextual” dichotomies are
obsolete; particularly false for
ecology.
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Two sets of values,
constitutive and contextual.
Two levels of context,
a. Objects of study.
b. Human values beyond science.
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Values Common to All Sciences
Maximal:
Objectivity
Logic & rationality,
Empiricism,
Asymmetric testing,
*About the natural world.
 Constitutive
* Contextual
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Constitutive values:
What you learned in ecology classes 20 years
ago;
(hint, no mention of the 6th extinction.)
Contextual values:
Organisms, habitats and biodiversity.
You can’t do constitutive value ecology
without its context.
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Objectivity
just, unbiased, not influenced by
emotions or personal prejudices.
opposite from
“in the eyes of the beholder.”
The world as it really is; reality.
“View from Nowhere,” T. Nagel.
“Escape from Perspective," Lorriane Daston.
Public, transparent, with universally shared,
agreed-upon means and methods.
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Subjectivity
Evil Twin of Objectivity
(L. Daston)
Attention to subjects (especially people), as
opposed to objects and external stimuli.
Preconception, bias, gut feelings…
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Contexts of the natural world
less pertinent to ecology:
too big, too small, too old, too quick, too massive,
too rare, too hot, too cold, etc.
*Cosmology, subatomic particles.
*Chemical elements:
actinides, lanthinides
atomic number >104,
not occurring on earth,
*very hot, old, geology,
etc.
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Contextual values of ecology.
The first level:
species, biodiversity, habitats,
environments, rarity, extinction.
The second level is the human uses
to which the science is put.
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Second level of contextual values of ecological science
• Utilitarian. For humans.
• Direct exploitation and depletion
• Ecosystem Services from nature:
•
Sustainable climate, clean air, water, nutrients, food,
wood, pollination, flood control. Etc.
• Functional, for other species.
• Sustainable food webs, nutrients, species interactions,
• Prospective. Future resources not exploited now.
• Intrinsic.
• Patriotic, religious, ethical, belief system.
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Species,
biodiversity,
habitats,
ecosystems,
and wild environments
are core values
to ecological science.
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Diminishment of
species,
biodiversity,
habitats,
ecosystems,
and wild environments
diminishes ecology.
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The preservation of
species,
habitats,
ecosystems,
and wild environments
is a core value
of ecological science.
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Another Ignite session explained that politicians confuse ecology and environment. They need
to learn that there is no ecology without the environment.
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Then,
The preservation of the natural, wild
world---the context of ecology--- is
fundamental to the practice of the
constitutive values of ecological
science.
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The practice of ecology involves
scientific values.
These values include vigorous
incentives for environmental
protection, ethics!
All ecologist are environmentalists.
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…homemade sin.
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