The Board of the Philosophy and Engineering Department has the pleasure of inviting you to the discussion evening on 15 May on the topic:

Climate Schism

The attraction of fear influences society's choice on the cause of climate change; not science. Rationality in terms of social consequences is absent. There is debate, but the foundations for positions are lacking.

The ideological discord shows traits of past controversies. Earth round or flat, the sun revolving around us or not, the building of cathedrals, witches, the intelligence of nature's peoples, church indulgences, the countless predictions of an impending end, acid rain, snow on Kilimanjaro, the validity of the theory of relativity. The list is endless. Sometimes they led to violence

About the speaker

Kees le Pair's career, after about eight years of physics research, was deciding how to finance scientific research. First only physical, later all kinds of technical. There he learned the distinction between two types of highly capable advisers, one the product champions and the other the relative outsiders.

Kees le Pair has received wide and deep appreciation for his work and commitment. See also his biography:

https://www.clepair.net/levensbeschrijving/cv.htm

Delft University of Technology promoted him to honorary doctor of all sciences flourishing there. And in Germany, he was made Ehrenmitglied of the Wischenschafts Forscher.

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences gave him The Silver Medal for his good and bad deeds. Queen Beatrix made him Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion, a rare animal in the low countries.

NB The venue of the meeting has changed. The meeting room is located above Restaurant Se7en. This is envenously within walking distance of Utrecht CS station.

Documents