Escape from Model Land: How Mathematical Models Can Lead Us Astray and What We Can Do About It

From Judith Curry,

This is a very thought provoking book, and Thompson’s ideas influenced Chapters 8 and 9 of my book Climate Uncertainty and Risk.  I posted a previous blog post on her journal article that spawned this book.  From the book description:

Why mathematical models are so often wrong, and how we can make better decisions by accepting their limits. Whether we are worried about the spread of COVID-19 or making a corporate budget, we depend on mathematical models to help us understand the world around us every day. But models aren’t a mirror of reality. In fact, they are fantasies, where everything works out perfectly, every time. And relying on them too heavily can hurt us.

In Escape from Model Land, statistician Erica Thompson illuminates the hidden dangers of models. She demonstrates how models reflect the biases, perspectives, and expectations of their creators. Thompson shows us why understanding the limits of models is vital to using them well. A deeper meditation on the role of mathematics, this is an essential book for helping us avoid either confusing the map with the territory or throwing away the map completely, instead pointing to more nuanced ways to Escape from Model Land.

Solving the Climate Puzzle: The Sun’s Surprising Role

Javier Vinós has produced a masterful summary of observational facts about Earth’s climate and the theories that have been proposed to explain them. I know of no other book that presents so many detailed and interesting facts about Earth’s climate. This is a long book but well worth reading for the excellent figures alone. Its extensive references to original papers are a valuable resource. –
Dr. William Happer, Physicist. Professor Emeritus, Princeton University. Former director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science

Vinós’ journey towards identifying meridional heat transport as the driver of climate change represents the process of science at its best. “Solving the Climate Puzzle” will change the way you think about climate change. – Dr. Judith Curry, Geophysical scientist. Professor Emerita, Georgia Institute of Technology. President, Climate Forecast Applications Network (CFAN)

The unique achievement of Dr. Vinós in this book is his ability to tell the complex scientific stories as simply as possible and no less. He has assembled in this powerful new book a lot of fresh scientific insights and understanding that are second to none, so congratulation for all of you that are willing to study it. – Dr. Willie Soon, Astrophysicist and Geoscientist. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Center for Environmental Research and Earth Sciences (CERES)

Here is a good interview with Tom Nelson.

Missy’s Twitch

Missy’s Twitch is an amusing and enjoyable read that’s very funny in places. Extremely topical, with a story that represents things as they are happening today without straying too much from reality.

It brings to life the mental stresses of young people bombarded daily with doomsday messages about the climate. It’s no wonder so many of them are seeking therapy.

Fictional contrarian views of climate change are rare, the most notable example being Michael Crichton’s “State of Fear” in 2004. Missy’s Twitch takes a more humorous approach on the issue, but still manages to make an effective case that’s definitely worth reading. You can buy it here.

How to Get Expelled from School: A Guide to Climate Change for Pupils, Parents and Punters

Ian Plimer

Green Murder

Ian Plimer

In this book I charge the greens with murder. They murder humans who are kept in eternal poverty without coal-fired electricity. They support slavery and early deaths of black child miners. They murder forests and their wildlife by clear felling for mining and wind turbines. They murder forests and wildlife with their bushfire policies. They murder economies producing unemployment, hopelessness, collapse of communities, disrupted social cohesion and suicide.

They murder free speech and freedoms and their takeover of the education system has ended up in the murdering of the intellectual and economic future of young people. They terrify children into mental illness with their apocalyptic death cult lies and exaggerations. They try to divide a nation. They are hypocrites and such angry ignorant people should never touch other people’s money.

The greens are guilty of murder. The sentence is life with no parole in a cave in the bush enjoying the benefits of Net Zero.

Predicting Our Climate Future: What We Know, What We Don’t Know, And What We Can’t Know

Green Breakdown

Green Breakdown

Green Breakdown is a complete discussion of all facets of the proposed renewable transition, including power plants, home appliances, electric vehicles, ships, aircraft, heavy industry, carbon capture and storage, and the hydrogen economy. Charts, graphs, and references to numerous studies are used to support the analysis. At the same time, the large collection of cartoons, images, and quotes grabs the attention of the reader.

Best Things First: The 12 most efficient solutions for the world’s poorest and our global SDG promises

https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Best-Things-First/dp/B0CD98ZH79

From the book description:

Now selected as one of the Best Books of 2023 by The Economist.

In this urgent, thought-provoking book, Bjorn Lomborg presents the 12 most efficient solutions for the world’s poorest and our global SDG promises. • If you want to make the world better, Best Things First is the book to read.

World leaders have promised everything to everyone. But they are failing. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are supposed to be delivered by 2030. The goals literally promise everything, like eradicating poverty, hunger and disease; stopping war and climate change, ending corruption, fixing education along with countless other promises. This year, the world is at halftime for its promises, but nowhere near halfway. Together with more than a hundred of the world’s top economists, Bjorn Lomborg has worked for years to identify the world’s best solutions. Based on 12 new, peer-reviewed papers, forthcoming in Cambridge University Press’ Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, this book highlights the world’s best policies.

Some things are difficult to fix, cost a lot, and help little. Other problems we know how to fix, at low cost, with remarkable outcomes. We should do the smart things first.

Governments and philanthropists should focus on these 12 smartest things. Fix tuberculosis, malaria, and chronic disease, tackle malnutrition, improve education, increase trade, implement e-procurement, and secure land tenure. This will improve the world amazingly. The cost is $35 billion a year. The benefits include saving 4.2 million lives each year and generating $1.1 trillion more for the world’s poor.

We can definitely afford it: The cost of $35 billion is equivalent to the increase in annual global spending on cosmetics over the last two years. This is likely the best thing the world can do this decade.