I'm about to head off to San Francisco for the SciFoo event, organised by Google, Nature, and O'Reilly Media, and held at the Googleplex in Mountain View. It's a sort of "unconference," described on the website as "Foo Camp is an informal conference format pioneered by O'Reilly Media, a leading book publisher and event organiser in the field of information technology. There is no predefined agenda, instead attendees collaboratively create one during the first evening, having shared ideas in advance through a wiki. Since the first O'Reilly Foo Camp in 2003, these events have become legendary and much imitated."
The list of attendees (or "campers") is truly impressive and, I must confess, somewhat intimidating - but, nevertheless, fascinating. I have no clear idea what to expect. But, since I have become increasingly exercised about the damaging effects of policy and society seeking certainty in an uncertain world, I have suggested a session in which totally "out of the box" ideas for not only communicating, but enjoying uncertainty might emerge - how can we make uncertainty fun?:
Embracing uncertainty
We live in a world that is not black and white but glorious shades of grey, and it is there that science thrives. Yet human nature and society yearn for – and routinely demand – certainty. This contradiction distorts not only the perception of science and scientists, but the integration of sound science with policy and decision-making (see, for example, the current controversy over the construction of sand berms in the Gulf of Mexico). How might we, as scientists, help create an environment in which uncertainty and an uncertain world are not just tolerated, but actively embraced?
I'll try to put up a post or two as things progress, but, in the meantime, if anyone has ideas (a video game? reality TV?) then I would love to hear them.
One variety of uncertainty is well known to be fun, sometimes to the point of compulsion: gambling. The preferred public narrative of science is progress toward certainty (popular narrative generally reduces entropy), but practicioners know that induction is a wager on the evidence, with chance much involved. Especially when it touches public policy and funds, Science, The Biggest Bet, is one that everybody makes, often without enjoying the suspense. Perhaps a virtual Ladbroke's, like the online futures markets for predictions, could encourage the public to emotional investments in hypotheses and outcomes?
Posted by: richard bready | July 27, 2010 at 01:48 AM
"An online Ladbroke's" - I like it!
Posted by: Sandglass | July 27, 2010 at 07:08 AM
For your amusement...
http://oddlyspecific.com/2010/07/27/funny-signs-it-sure-is/
Posted by: Lockwood | July 27, 2010 at 06:42 PM
There is an online Ladbroke's: http://www.ladbrokes.com/home/en
I was initially confused by this as I was thinking Ladbroke Grove. Obviously, I got that wrong.
Sci Foo sounds very interesting. I sure hope that it is fun and enlightening. Enjoy your trip. :)
Posted by: F | July 27, 2010 at 11:24 PM