Uncertain Science ... Uncertain World

'Uncertain Science … Uncertain World is certain to clarify one of the most fundamental popular misconceptions about science - that it is exact and certain. Henry Pollack demolishes the mythology about certainty in science with short and clear examples of how uncertainty is both endemic to science and not a cause for paralysis or inaction. This well-written book is a welcome antidote to the misrepresentations of special interests who misuse scientific uncertainty to stall public policy and advance their own agendas.' Stephen Schneider, Stanford University and author of Laboratory Earth: The Planetary Gamble We Can't Afford To Lose

'This excellent book will serve as a blast of common sense to counter two dangerous attitudes. One is the desperate search for impossible certainties in a complex world where few comprehend the meaning of probability. The other is a belief that scientists are the magicians of today who can deliver certainty by 'scientific tests'. Pollack writes with vigour and clarity about big issues such as global warming, and reading this book ought to help us become better judges when 'facts' conflict. There are few more important attributes we need for the twenty-first century.' Aubrey Manning, author of An Introduction to Animal Behaviour

'Public policy debates are constantly getting stuck in the mire of perceptions about scientific uncertainty and risk. Yet science is no different to many other areas of human experience, in that uncertainty and risk are inevitably present. In a readable, entertaining presentation, Henry Pollack removes some of the mystery surrounding scientific uncertainty by placing it alongside examples from everyday life.' Sir John Houghton, Co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and author of Global Warming – The Complete Briefing

'At last we have a solid, scientific look at the vexing subject of uncertainty. You may not be more certain about some subjects when you finish this book, but you'll understand why.' James Trefil, George Mason University, and author of A Scientist in the City

'Too often, scientists fall into the quicksand of technical jargon and fail to communicate important information to the general public. In Uncertain Science … Uncertain World, Henry Pollack uses plain English and engaging examples to explore uncertainty both in science and everyday life.' Neal Lane, Professor at Rice University, former Science Advisor to President Clinton and former Director of the U.S. National Science Foundation

'…Pollack's writing is clear, and should change the way that both policymakers and the general public evaluate scientific developments, especially those associated with global climate change.' Science and Theology News

'… a primer in very basic thinking about probability. It should be compulsory reading for journalists - who wouldn't necessarily get to the end voluntarily.' New Scientist

'Pollack has a pleasant style and a light touch…an informative and enlightening account of how science works in practice and how scientists learn to be at ease in an uncertain universe.' Wilson Quarterly

'Uncertain Science … Uncertain World proves that what we don't know is a vital ingredient in science's growth.' Scientific American Book Club

'Pollack's book is one of the best ever written on the subject of uncertainty.' Focus

'Pollack provides a tremendous service with his clear exposition of scientific uncertainty.' EOS

'Practising scientists and teachers would do well to peruse the book …'. The Observatory

'This is a brilliant book: probably the best in its field since [Carl Sagan's] The Demon Haunted World … I have rarely seen public understanding of science communication explained as lucidly …' Concatenation

'One of the strong points of this book is the author's fusion of his extensive scientific experience and broadly based professional judgment with a keen sense of intellectual propriety and of ethics - not just scientific ethics in the narrow sense, but the ethics of the use of science in support of the broader human enterprise.' Palaios