Scientific Theories and Their Psychological Corollaries: The Ecological Crisis as a Case Study in the Need for Synthesis

Author(s)

  • Arnold Schroder

Full text (open access)

Abstract

  • That policy makers will ever rationally respond to scientific warnings about the ecological crisis should be treated as a falsifiable hypothesis. After more than five decades of such warnings, there is a strong case for skepticism. Climate and other ecological tipping points constitute the quantitative thresholds beyond which current political systems can definitively be said to have failed. This presents a mandate to generate broad consensus on where tipping points lie, and at what proximity to them new strategies should be pursued. Central to any new strategy should be an understanding of why the old one failed—an understanding of why those in power almost exclusively derive from academic backgrounds other than physical science, and the psychological differences between those who issued or received so many warnings of collapse. To that end, a psychological trait syndrome relevant to political power is proposed, based on correlations between academic specialization, psychometric results, and the behavior of powerful people across a wide range of societies. This proposed syndrome consists of four covarying dimensions of individual difference. These are perceptions of hierarchy vs. egalitarianism, established knowledge vs. open inquiry, physical vs. symbolic action, and schematic vs. particular knowledge.

Date

  • December, 2023

Author Biography

  • Arnold Schroder has spent three decades working on various aspects of environmental politics, from providing the scientific research for endangered species litigation to organizing protests. He makes a podcast synthesizing political psychology, evolutionary biology, and environmental politics called Fight Like An Animal. The World Tree Center--which conducts research into worldviews, produces media, and conducts post-extractive regional economic planning--formed out of the audience. 

Donations

  • Arnold’s work can be supported by making a donation to his Patreon.

Citation

  • Arnold Schroder (2023). Scientific Theories and Their Psychological Corollaries: The Ecological Crisis as a Case Study in the Need for Synthesis. Seeds of Science. https://doi.org/10.53975/5z93-2m5e

  • BibTex

Areas

  • Metascience, Scientific Ethics, Social Sciences

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