Science in Perspective
🌌 Science in Perspective
Science in Perspective examines scientific work by changing the level of description. Instead of isolating parts, it looks at how structure, information, and constraints give rise to behavior across systems.
Each episode starts from real research and asks what patterns remain when the details are stripped away. The focus is not on results alone, but on the organizing principles that recur across physics, biology, cognition, and social systems.
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Science in Perspective
Cool the World, Wreck the System: The Illusion of Control
In this episode I discuss geoengineering, focusing on the UK’s proposed aerosol project to reflect sunlight and reduce global temperatures. I explain the greenhouse effect and why gases like CO₂ and methane trap heat, before turning to the deeper issue of naive intervention—our tendency to assume linear, one-to-one outcomes in inherently complex systems. I discuss the concept of causal opacity, where true causes in interconnected systems are inaccessible, and emphasize nonlinear dynamics as the universal mechanism driving unpredictable side effects and potential collapse. The larger point is that policy and science must respect complexity rather than oversimplify it.
Suggested Reading
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/22/uk-scientists-outdoor-geoengineering-experiments
Become a Member at science-in-perspective.com or patreon.com/8431143/join
Premium members get access to the full member app. This includes data visualizations of the core concepts in each episode, a Study Space for learning fundamentals, and premium articles on Techniques and Mindsets.
Members can also save personal notes, explore episode summaries and transcripts, search across episodes, track watch history and progress, and participate in the community forum. Premium membership includes ongoing support.