A leading voice on the role of science in society
Naomi Oreskes is Professor of the History of Science and Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. A world-renowned geologist, historian and public speaker, she is a leading voice on the role of science in society and the reality of anthropogenic climate change.
Her areas of research are: History of Environmental Sciences, Science Policy, Philosophy of Science, Science and Religion, Technology and Society, Women and Gender Studies.
In her talk, the historian explains that, contrary to popular belief, there is no single scientific me- thod. Rather, the trustworthiness of scientific claims derives from the social process by which they are rigorously vetted. Naomi Oreskes draws vital lessons from cases where scientists got it wrong and shows how consensus is a crucial indicator of when a scientific matter has been settled, and when the knowledge produced is likely to be trustworthy.
Prolific writer
Oreskes is author or co-author of 7 books, and over 150 articles, essays and opinion pieces, including Merchants of Doubt (2010), The Collapse of Western Civilization (2014), Discerning Experts (2019), Why Trust Science? (2019), and Science on a Mission: American Oceanography from the Cold War to Climate Change, (2021).
