Charles Weiss is a Distinguished Professor and Chair of Science, Technology and International Affairs at Georgetown University. He states the concept of scientific uncertainty and writes about scientific groups who are related with the issue. Bjorn Lomborg is an associate professor of Political Science Department at Aarhus University. Lomborg writes on environmental issues and he has opposing ideas with most of the scientists. Weiss's ideas in "Scientific uncertainty in advising and advocacy" assists me to realize the origin of the "Lomborg Debate" by the clarifications of boundaries between scientific groups and public on the issues that involves scientific uncertainty. Weiss's views on the inevitability of a scientific uncertainty scale provide a solution to the debate.
In the article, Weiss suggests that the subjects on science which include scientific uncertainty should be clarified frankly if they are settled fact, mainstream opinion, legitimate minority opinion or assertions with no scientific basis. Subsequently, advisory committees would become framers of public discussion and advocacy groups would become more reliable and more professional with their ethics. If the scientific groups, who play role in policy decisions and public discussions, express the level of uncertainty then decision makers would need to acknowledge the uncertainty to the public. Weiss believes the necessity of a scale of uncertainty for scientific groups in order to convey their ideas to the public and to the policy makers more explicitly. Public and politicians are not qualified in science and they need precise and reliable information on scientific issues. .
Mikael Skou Anderson, associate professor of the same university and department with Lomborg, writes about him in "Some replies from Danish scientists to a contrarian". Lomborg is a biased professor who writes about environmental issues in his version of environmental problems.
For example the concepts of scientific notation, significant figures, dimensional analysis, molar conversions, and stoichiometry are all tied into one another. ... One of the first lessons taught in chemistry is that of scientific notation. ... Scientific notation is often used to shorten long numbers such as two billion, which simply becomes 2 x 109. ... Significant figures are used to determine the uncertainty of a particular number. ...
Uncertainty reduction theory, proposed the desire to reduce uncertainty predicts and explains how individuals communicate in initial interaction and how relationship outcomes are related to communication patterns. ... Providing prediction for future events is the one of the characteristics of a scientific theory. ... Dialectical approach to studying personal relationships, Baxter and Montgomery criticized uncertainty reduction theory for focusing on desires for uncertainty reduction in isolation from countervailing desired for uncertainty maintenance. Relational dialectics view communication b...
They were close colleagues and had done work in the 1920s on quantum mechanics and the uncertainty principle, together revolutionizing atomic physics. ... I think that the play script, as well as the actors, did a very good job of blending scientific and psychological aspects of Bohr and Heisenberg's meeting. Because the terms "complementarity" and "uncertainty" were used as metaphors for the science and relationship of Bohr and Heisenberg, they applied in every aspect of the play, not only in discussions of physics and chemistry, but also as part of a theme of explanation for Heisenber...
."), then anything should be accessible by way of scientific inquiry. Consequently, nothing should be left to chance - no ambiguity should exist if we devote enough time and energy to the scientific method of inquiry. ... Heisenberg showed that the uncertainty in the position of the particle times the uncertainty in its velocity times the mass of the particle can never be smaller than a certain quantity, which is known as Planck's constant. Moreover, this limit does not depend on the way in which one tries to measure the position or velocity of the particle, or on the type of particle: He...
He contends that since "experience of the method has not led us to doubt it," the scientific method will essentially lead us to "one true conclusion." ... For instance, present day involvement with the scientific method abandons us with extraordinary questions in regards to its reliability. ... Pierce's essay is established in the thought that uncertainty is an aggravation, and this aggravation drives human request. I would say, I have discovered that uncertainty is an aggravation principally for those whose contemplation is ruled by the impact of European scholars. ... Uncertainty is jus...
If a certain subject matter could not be observed or demonstrated in a logical manner, or be proven or tested scientifically, they were said to exist in the scope of personal opinions and therefore had no importance in philosophical matters. ... Albert Einstein added even more uncertainty when he introduced his theory of relativity. ... But perhaps one of the most shocking blows of uncertainty in the world of physics came from Werner Heisenberg. ... Given all of these scientific breakthroughs, it seemed that no one could even turn to conventional physics for answers anymore. Uncertainty...
In the play Copenhagen, Michael Frayn recognizes the dilemma of the opposing views and also shows us the difficulty in understanding a historical event that has a level of uncertainty. ... "As in his articles, in Alonso Goldsmith asserted that the German nuclear power project had tried very hard to create and supply the National Socialist government with nuclear weapons, but had failed because of gross scientific errors"" (Walker 187). Goldsmith's polemic view shows that they believed Heisenberg wanted to build the atomic bomb but his scientific calculations were wrong. ... Like Heisenbe...
Being a well-educated person, Descartes finds his knowledge unsatisfying due to its uncertainty and as a result sets out on a quest in which his task was to undergo a process of discovering knowledge and rid himself of uncertainties. ... His main intension in starting with doubt was to allow scientific inquiry to begin. In order for him to map out scientific endeavor he had to come up with a 'method' . ... In closing, it therefore means that no matter how educated you are, your level of education carries no value until you are able to rid yourself of uncertainty and speak with outm...
EPAs ecological guidelines state "risk characterization includes scientific uncertainties" [Jou]. These scientific uncertainties can outcome in the destruction of the environment, but there isn't enough knowledge to determine if that'll happen. ... Likewise, Rajan states, "Uncertainty [Among] GMOs, is a problem that is difficult to address"[Jou]. ...
