Climate Change and Studies of the Future

The authors analyze climate change from a philosophy of science perspective. They consider the role of prediction, to anticipate the possible future, and the role of prescription, to offer appropriate patterns for action. This dual approach accounts for the internal science perspective and the external vision of human activity (social, institutional, etc.). As a result, the book addresses the task of scientists as advisors for public management.

The book delves into the problem of climate change within the framework of Studies of the Future, due to the relevance of the issue in the short, middle, and long term. There are several successive levels in its configuration: (i) The philosophico-methodological context regarding the ability of science to anticipate the future in ontological, epistemological, and heuristic terms; (ii) The reflection on scientific contributions in terms of applied science, which is aimed at solving specific problems; (iii) The role of experts as scientific advisors, which is mainly through the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC.

These successive levels of analysis configure the thematic background of the book. They are articulated in the directions followed by the chapters in the various parts of the volume: These directions are the ones that appear within its four parts: I) Studies of the Future in the Face of Climate Change: From the Philosophical Framework to Social Perception; II) Climate Change, Causes and Possibilities; III) Climate Models and the Problems of Uncertainty, Data and Values; and IV) Climate Change, Policymaking, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.