Experts in the Climate Change Debate

Abstract

After defining the word “expert”, we argue that everyone involved in the climate change debate is to one degree or another reliant on the testimony of experts, or at least those whom they believe to be experts. We consider a variety of means by which nonexperts can hope to identify genuine experts, and work out what to believe when expert (or apparent expert) testimony conflicts. We draw conclusions about how those of us who are not climate scientists can hope to form rational beliefs about the reality of anthropogenic climate change (ACC).