Imagination and reason: rival perspectives on science

Abstract

Much of the flavor of this book can be drawn from its dedication to a short list of ‘‘Scientists of Dedication and Integrity’’, which includes some of the leading climate scientists of recent years. Writing for a general readership, Powell sets out to uncover ‘‘why only half the public accept[s the] ... evidence’’ for global warming, focusing upon ‘‘deniers [who] submit climate scientists to a modern inquisition conducted not in a courtroom but on the front pages of newspapers, on right-wing radio and television, on the blogosphere, and on denier websites’’ (3). Powell, a geochemistry Ph.D. and former member of the US National Science Board, generally does a good job of explaining the fundamentals of climate science and in illuminating the institutional and ideological character of climate denialism. Although not as detailed as Oreskes and Conway’s recent Merchants of Doubt, which focused on the ‘‘template’’ for contemporary denialism provided by the Marshall Institute, Powell’s coverage of denialism is broader and more up to date. While focused upon climate science denial, Powell is also fundamentally concerned, as were Oreskes and Conway, with the broader implications of the attack on established science that climate denialism involves and its intimate association with campaigns such as that of ‘‘Creation Science’’, those against AIDs treatments, and also the effects of tobacco smoke on health. I share these concerns but am inclined to believe that the naive positivist perspective that Powell shares with much of the science community tends to nourish denialism rather than challenge it. This review elaborates this argument in light of those made by Powell. In his introduction, Powell (4) clarifies his use of the term ‘‘deniers’’.