Dickinson to Durban

The African National Congress (ANC) created Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), also known in English as “Spear of the Nation”, because by 1961, the anti-apartheid movement was not gaining enough support. In order to inspire millions of people to join the political movement to end apartheid in South Africa, drastic action had to be taken. I believe that violence is never acceptable, but at the time in which MK was created, violence was the only option left for the ANC, as they could not oppose apartheid by changing government policy. The ANC had only a choice between the lesser of two evils: 1.) Allowing apartheid (itself violent) to continue or 2.) Ensure the termination of apartheid through the use of “terrorist” actions or guerillia violence by the ANC. The continuation would … Read entire article »

Climate is the pattern of weather that one can expect over a long duration of time, whereas weather is the actual variance of daily sunshine or cloud cover, precipitation, and temperature. In order to reconcile the idea that both weather and climate are highly variable, we must understand that both climate and weather will always be changing. A much as we, as humans, like to assume consistency and predictability, the very complex system that is climate cannot be perfectly calculated and predicted. As humans, we like to observe and record data, as well as presume patterns in phenomena. We also have a tendency to assume that the way the world has functioned in the fifty years or so as we know it, or the hundreds of years of recorded history … Read entire article »

Good scientific practice employs the scientific method: acquiring new knowledge or investigating observable phenomena through the use of hypotheses, data sets, repetition, analysis, conclusion, peer review, and the continuation of research. Contrary to the desires of the general public, politicians, and think-tanks, science should conduct experiments and assess data independently of public opinion or desire for certain results. What should the role of science be in the making of public policy? Scientists should present their information and allow others (politicians, the general public) to make their own conclusions, rather than allowing doubt to be used as a political tool for climate denial. It is in the conveying of information in which scientists, politicians, and journalists can obscure data to manifest doubt in the minds of the public. In dealing with our current … Read entire article »

Have public media and journalists contributed to confusion and doubt about climate change? What can/should they do to present science and scientific debate accurately on this topic? The general public relies on media and journalists to get all of their information.  This information can be relayed to the public in a number of ways.  Depending how news is presented, the public forms opinions based on what the media communicates to them.  With topics such as climate change, political variance plays a major role in the scientific debate.  Because politically focused news broadcasters present information based on the political party of which it supports, these contrasting parties create controversy when spreading accurate information to the public.  The science of climate change is not to be debated between divergent parties; the evidence behind … Read entire article »