Climate, Technology, and Culture II (3C)
Cheryl Peach
Syllabus: CAT3_SP12_Peach_Syllabus.pdf
Misconceptions abound over the reality and causes of climate change, and few in the public fully understand the scientific basis for concern. This course will examine the historical development of climate science up to the present day, provide a basic understanding of climate science principles and illustrate the unique role that science and technology have played in detecting the extent and magnitude of global climate change. Three key questions will be addressed:
- What do we know? Students will examine the basic physics of greenhouse gases and their role in planetary warming, and the evidentiary basis for anthropogenic climate change.
- How do we know it? Students will engage in guided investigations into how scientific data are collected, analyzed and interpreted, and how these data reveal the extent and magnitude of global climate change.
- How do we know we’re not wrong? Students will explore the practices of criticism, argumentation, vetting, and peer review that help to ensure the robustness of scientific claims. They will learn how scientists use visual images to communicate the balance between the “big picture”, the details, and the uncertainties.
