Understanding Coupled Ethical‐epistemic Issues Relevant to Climate Modeling and Decision Support Science

Tuana, Nancy

doi:10.1002/9781119067825.ch10

Cited by 8 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Interview respondents described all 12 a priori epistemic values when discussing the stages of the watershed modeling process (Figure 7b). We suspect this occurred because epistemic values are prevalent in scientific research and modeling (Tuana, 2017). In addition, the model set‐up and testing stage included the highest average of epistemic values out of the three stages, which indicates the presence of epistemic values present during this decision rich stage.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If modelers are to engage in responsible modeling, they must identify values and analyze their influence on decisions made throughout the modeling process (Tuana, 2017; Voinov et al., 2014). ViMMs can be a tool to assist modelers in examining their values, motivations, objectives, and outcomes of interest.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Involving ethical values in scientific pursuits could aid researchers in making decisions to maximize benefits while minimizing harm (Tuana, 2017). Conversely, epistemic values, defined as “values that support or encourage responsible knowledge practices,” are more widely accepted as being present in scientific research than ethical values (Kuhn, 1977; Tuana, 2017). Although Tuana (2017) investigated values in scientific research broadly, the same ideas can be applied to modeling more directly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, epistemic values, defined as “values that support or encourage responsible knowledge practices,” are more widely accepted as being present in scientific research than ethical values (Kuhn, 1977; Tuana, 2017). Although Tuana (2017) investigated values in scientific research broadly, the same ideas can be applied to modeling more directly. Being a responsible modeler requires an understanding of both the nature of the ethical and epistemic values involved in a decision as well as how to prioritize these values (Tuana, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Investigating the Influence of Ethical and Epistemic Values on Decisions in the Watershed Modeling Process

Deitrick

Torhan

Grady

2021

Water Resources Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Throughout the watershed modeling process, modelers, collaborators, and stakeholders make decisions about how to study various challenges that impact watersheds. To understand these decisions, we investigated values held by modelers who have worked or collaborated on projects within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and their influence on decisions made during the modeling process. Using a mixed‐methodological approach, we designed an online survey and semistructured interviews to evaluate these complexities. In total, we received 27 survey responses from Chesapeake Bay Watershed modelers and conducted four semistructured interviews. The results indicate that ethical and epistemic values impact every stage of the watershed modeling process. These values occur alongside decisions, motivations, outcomes, and objectives that often involve collaborators and stakeholders in addition to the modelers. Therefore, including these values in scientific discourse can increase transparency around watershed modeling that guides policy decision making processes. Our results articulate that a discussion of the ethical and epistemic values present throughout the watershed modeling process should be incorporated into model documentation to clearly explain assumptions and decisions.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Investigating the Influence of Ethical and Epistemic Values on Decisions in the Watershed Modeling Process

Deitrick

Torhan

Grady

2021

Water Resources Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The broad-brush purpose of supporting climate risk management can be analyzed further in any particular instance to reveal specific non-epistemic concerns such as protecting livelihoods, preserving culture, and saving money and lives (Bessette et al, 2017;CPRAL, 2017). By judging models in light of purpose while also viewing these motivating values as a part of that purpose, the simplicity-complexity dimension of model choice can be seen as a coupled ethical-epistemic problem (Tuana, 2013(Tuana, , 2017Vezér et al, 2018) in which motivations and trade-offs encompass both epistemic and ethical values.…”

Section: Purpose and Valuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Simpler Computer Simulation Models Can Be Epistemically Better for Informing Decisions

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For computer simulation models to usefully inform climate risk management decisions, uncertainties in model projections must be explored and characterized. Because doing so requires running the model many times over, and because computing resources are finite, uncertainty assessment is more feasible using models that need less computer processor time. Such models are generally simpler in the sense of being more idealized, or less realistic. So modelers face a trade-off between realism and extent of uncertainty quantification. Seeing this trade-off for the important epistemic issue that it is requires a shift in perspective from the established simplicity literature in philosophy of science. IntroductionComputer simulation models are now essential tools in many scientific fields, and a rapidly-expanding philosophical literature examines a host of accompanying methodological and epistemological questions about their roles and uses (e.g.

show abstract

A Typology for Characterizing Human Action in MultiSector Dynamics Models

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The role of individual and collective human action is increasingly recognized as a prominent and arguably paramount determinant in shaping the behavior, trajectory, and vulnerability of multisector systems. This human influence operates at multiple scales: from short‐term (hourly to daily) to long‐term (annually to centennial) timescales, and from the local to the global, pushing systems toward either desirable or undesirable outcomes. However, the effort to represent human systems in multisector models has been fragmented across philosophical, methodological, and disciplinary lines. To cohere insights across diverse modeling approaches, we present a new typology for classifying how human actors are represented in the broad suite of coupled human‐natural system models that are applied in MultiSector Dynamics (MSD) research. The typology conceptualizes a “sector” as a system‐of‐systems that includes a diverse group of human actors, defined across individual to collective social levels, involved in governing, provisioning, and utilizing products, goods, or services toward some human end. We trace the salient features of modeled representations of human systems by organizing the typology around two key questions: (a) Who are the actors in MSD systems and what are their actions? (b) How and for what purpose are these actors and actions operationalized in a computational model? We use this typology to critically examine existing models and chart the frontier of human systems modeling for MSD research.

show abstract

Understanding Coupled Ethical‐epistemic Issues Relevant to Climate Modeling and Decision Support Science

Cited by 8 publications

References 24 publications

Investigating the Influence of Ethical and Epistemic Values on Decisions in the Watershed Modeling Process

Investigating the Influence of Ethical and Epistemic Values on Decisions in the Watershed Modeling Process

Why Simpler Computer Simulation Models Can Be Epistemically Better for Informing Decisions

A Typology for Characterizing Human Action in MultiSector Dynamics Models

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About