How do we know there is a population-environment problem?

Authors

Peter J. TaylorFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 3-10-2000

Keywords

environment, inequality, interdisciplinary, philosophy, population, resources, science and technology studies

Disciplines

Agricultural and Resource Economics | Development Studies | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Environmental Studies | Philosophy of Science | Science and Mathematics Education | Science and Technology Studies

Abstract

Five fictional friends of the author have agreed to meet and talk, hoping that he was right when he claimed that discussion crossing the usual boundaries of their fields would enrich their different inquiries and concerns. Ecolo, a natural and human ecologist, breaks the ice. He wants to marshall scientific knowledge to persuade others of the seriousness of the population problem. He is questioned by Philoso, whose philosophical bent leads her to observe the models that people use and to ask how they support the claims they make. In turn, the other three join in: Activo, an activist who is interested in what one can do on the basis of claims made about the environment and about society; Reso, a researcher who analyzes issues about the degradation of natural resources; and Sociolo, who is prepared to bring in social considerations to explain or interpret the directions that are taken in science.

Recommended Citation

Taylor, Peter J., "How do we know there is a population-environment problem?" (2000). Working Papers on Science in a Changing World. 15.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/cct_sicw/15

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.