Philosophy of climate science

Climate science is an umbrella term referring to scientific disciplines studying aspects of the Earth’s climate. It includes, among others, parts of atmospheric science, oceanography, and glaciology. In the wake of public discussions about an appropriate reaction to climate change, parts of decision theory and economics have also been brought to bear on issues of climate. The philosophy of climate science is a new sub-discipline of the philosophy of science that began to crystalise at the turn of the twenty-first century when philosophers started having a closer look at climate science. It comprises a reflection on almost all aspects of climate science, including observation and data, methods of detection and attribution, kinds of uncertainties, model ensembles, and decision-making under uncertainty. The philosophy of climate science operates in close contact with science itself and pays careful attention to the scientific details.