ENVS 306 - ”Trust the Science”? Knowledge and Controversy in Environmental Science and Policy

FC SSCI

4 credits
Should we trust science? What methodologies count as science, under what circumstances? What role do values play in environmental science? How do we know what “science” says about hot-button issues like solar geoengineering, carbon-capture-and-storage, or trophy hunting for conservation? Beyond helping you win arguments with your uncle over the holidays, this course will analyze historical and contemporary justifications for trust in science, from the social position of scientists to self-correcting scientific communities. The second portion of the class looks at case studies: how has environmental science attracted controversy, and when is that controversy warranted?

Prerequisites: ENVS 101.

Community-Based Learning
Sustainability