# Rethinking the Role of Science in Climate Crisis
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Chapter 1: The Dichotomy of Science
When you delve into a popular science book, it often exudes wonder and discovery, alongside a tinge of regret regarding our world's condition. However, this narrative reflects what science claims to do, rather than its actual impact. In a Western mindset that prioritizes rhetoric over action, science is celebrated as a champion against climate change, while in reality, it often acts as a significant contributor to the problem. The journey of that book began with a diesel truck, fueled by oil extracted from the Earth—an endeavor driven by scientists.
In truth, there are more scientists, along with science graduates, engaged in activities that exacerbate climate change than there are dedicated to combating it. Surprisingly, an average individual living modestly contributes more to sustainability than the esteemed scientists flying across the globe to raise awareness. This contradiction reveals a profound hypocrisy: the tools of the oppressor cannot dismantle the structure of oppression.
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Section 1.1: Science's Contributions to Climate Change
Evaluating science by its outcomes rather than its proclamations, we find that the thousands of scientists who "uncovered" fossil fuels and devised increasingly destructive methods for extraction are culpable. This continued pursuit persisted even after the negative consequences of burning fossil fuels were evident. Science has become a state-sanctioned doctrine of capitalism, celebrated for creating tangible wonders such as abundant consumer goods—yet we must ask, at what cost? As Frank Ocean poignantly expressed, “if it brings me to my knees, it’s a bad religion.”
Subsection 1.1.1: Traditional Wisdom vs. Scientific Modernity
The Seneca people of Turtle Island recognized the importance of crop rotation through the allegory of the three sisters: corn, beans, and squash. This wisdom was dismissed by modern science, which reinterpreted it as the nitrogen cycle. Utilizing this knowledge without comprehension, scientists have employed natural gas to infuse nitrogen into fertilizers, thus linking our food supply irrevocably to fossil fuels. In essence, we consume natural gas as part of our diet. While this process may appear miraculous, it operates like a Faustian bargain—effective for a time, but ultimately at a steep price.
Section 1.2: The Hubris of Scientific Progress
Science promotes progress over balance or apocalyptic thinking, perpetuating the idea that humanity is always advancing. However, this belief reflects arrogance akin to Icarus, and we are the generation facing the consequences of this hubris.
Chapter 2: The Illusion of Scientific Solutions
The first video titled "The Science of Climate Change | HHMI BioInteractive Video" explores the fundamental principles of climate science and the urgent need for action.
The prevalent argument suggests that while science may have led us into our current predicament, it will also guide us out. This line of reasoning implies that when in a hole, one should keep digging—quite literally. The so-called "green revolution" necessitates the extraction of vast quantities of lithium, copper, and other rare minerals from ever more hidden reserves, all while relying heavily on diesel. This so-called revolution does not challenge the entrenched power dynamics and philosophical decay that govern our world; it merely acts as superficial decor on a burning structure.
The second video titled "How do we know humans cause climate change? | Ask A Scientist" addresses the evidence of human-induced climate change and the scientific consensus surrounding it.
Electric batteries cannot rectify the inefficiencies of individual car use. What is truly needed is public transportation and a reevaluation of our reliance on cars and roads. Instead of addressing these fundamental issues, science seems focused on catering to human laziness and greed, akin to deck managers on the Titanic offering cocktails while the ship continues to sink. The underlying issues of gross inequality, resource extraction, and ignorance remain unaddressed.
The reality is that science is being employed to modify the engine of a train that is fundamentally on the wrong track. It will inevitably arrive at its destination: collapse. At some point, the tools of science could theoretically help to restore equilibrium, much like cyanobacteria that once altered the Earth’s atmosphere. However, this would require wisdom accumulated over millennia, wisdom lost to scientific arrogance and capitalist exploitation.
In conclusion, science is not a remedy for the climate crisis; rather, it is one of its primary instigators. The path to recovery necessitates a return to philosophical roots and an examination of the narratives discarded by Western thinkers. The real answers lie in ancient civilizations that were marginalized by modern science, in the wisdom that has been dismissed as superstition, and in the simple act of being human—living modestly and harmoniously with nature.
The solution is not blind faith in science; rather, we must dig deeper than mere technological fixes. We find ourselves in a hole, and the answer lies far beyond the shovel.