Matthew Slater (Bucknell University), Joanna Huxster (Eckerd College)
It is well known that large segments of the American lay public do not see anthropogenic climate change (ACC) as a serious risk. Recent social scientific research on climate change communication has suggested that acceptance that there is a scientific consensus about ACC may serve as a "gateway belief" for more accurate belief about its existence and risks. We argue that such messages only gain their permanence and utility in a context of an understanding of the social structure of science that makes the epistemic significance of scientific consensus understandable. How best should we convey such an understanding?
