Kerry Emanuel on the scientific worldview
Hurricane expert Kerry Emanuel of MIT spoke to Earth & Sky about science as one way of looking at the world.
Kerry Emanuel: What I’ve learned as a scientist doesn’t really affect my world view all that much. I’ve always regarded science as one way of looking at the world, not as the only way.
Time magazine named Kerry Emanuel one of the 100 most influential people for 2006. That’s because shortly before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, his research suggested that global warming would lead to more powerful hurricanes.
Earth & Sky asked Emanuel if being a scientist has changed the way he looks at the world.
Kerry Emanuel: When it comes to the very interesting questions about mankind, things like consciousness and freewill, I’ve always felt that those are almost by definition outside the field of scientific inquiry. Although, I know the vast majority of people who formally study consciousness don’t feel that way about it. So, I tend to say science works on a large set of subjects, particularly concerning the material world, but there is a sphere of our lives that is far outside of its reach of inquiry.
_DB: Our thanks to NASA explore, discover, understand. We’re Block and Byrd for Earth & Sky.
Read our interview with Kerry Emanuel.
Photo Gallery: Hurricanes of 2005
Our thanks to:
Kerry Emanuel
Additional Teacher Resources
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Kerry Emanuel’s Home Page
We are optimistic that continued research will eventually resolve much of the current controversy over the effect of climate change on hurricanes. But the more urgent problem of our lemming-like march to the sea requires immediate and sustained attention. We call upon leaders of government and industry to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of building practices, and insurance, land use, and disaster relief policies that currently serve to promote an ever-increasing vulnerability to hurricanes.
Living on Earth: Hurricanes and Climate Change
MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel talks about his book “Divine Wind: the History and Science of Hurricanes.” Emanuels latest research, published in Nature Magazine, shows a startling global increase in hurricane strength and duration, which he correlates to rising sea temperatures linked to global warming.
