Salary depends on circulating reference

“But then, everybody’s paid by somebody. Who pays your salary?”

                                                                                                           

-Kenner

After getting into the book a ways, I was pleased by the direction Crichton was taking the plot. I was expecting the main characters to be advocating global warming and the supporting science behind it going up against massive corporations action movie style. When one of the prominent themes of the book was showing science that was refuting global warming, and pointing out the flaws of science based on a number of reasons. I am a science lover, specifically ecology, so I would’ve expected myself to be upset that people were actually advocating against global warming, “one of the most concrete scientific theories” as I had been told. Surprisingly, I was not and was actually curious about the science supporting the refutations of global warming. Being so science minded having the full citations was a welcome comfort.

     I currently am taking an aquatic systems management class and throughout the semester we’ve consistently ran into the harm anthropogenic sources cause the earth, backed up by plenty of science of course. My intervention project also looked into the interactions between government, industry, and environmental organizations. After going so in-depth into the agriculture industry I am constantly thinking of the connections to everything around us, especially in science. The message of circulating reference is strong in this book, as it is on the environmental movement front. The quote above illustrates that each part of the circulating reference web surrounding global warming is funded, or given a certain motivation, by an outside agent. When Evans comments about how the studies showing the Antarctic has been melting for millions of years were funded by the coal companies, Kenner calmly replies with a “probably”. There are so many players in the game to clean up the environment, and each has a sponsor with a specific goal. The EPA is bullied by the industry and inhibited by the government. The government limits information to people because they are supported by the major industries that happen to be polluting the environment. Industries oppose the already weak regulations on pollution, with no regard for communities, forcing government cleanup. Further, scientists seek grants, and as Crichton acknowledges, the results they ascertain are going to agree with the funding they’ve received, if they want to continue their research. Multiple sectors share a relational approach to the process of research, specifically involving controversial topics like global warming. 

      The data yielding results against global warming was compelling, as was the fact that there were “global-warming extremists”. It makes you wonder if issues like this, that so many people hold stock in, keep getting increasingly worse, how far would some be willing to go. The citations refuting global warming was my favorite part of the book because it reminded me that in science, nothing is truly every proven. Experiments have a certain bias, whether that bias is from the scientist or from his funder. Science is not infallible, as Evans eventually opens his mind to. However, as Kenner says you can still believe something is happening, you just have to be willing to accept that there is data saying otherwise. This is also why science is so great, and maybe even considered a war. Peer review and replication of experiments as well as testing under different conditions can ensure that all sides of an issue are considered. Although, what sides should be considered is often influenced by outside agencies, science still strives for answers. Michael Crichton just makes it cool.