Panel Statement
Panel: The Data Landscapes of Climate Change (FARFIELD 2)
“Logic, therefore, remains barren unless fertilized by intuition.” _Jules Henri Poincaré
“The aim of music is not to express feelings but to express music.” _Pierre Boulez
Many scientists believe not only that art has no place in science, but also that the two are basically incompatible and if art might exert any influence on science, this would bedraggle science. On the other hand many artists feel that science is dull and is thwarting their creativity and artistry. However, I am convinced the reality is more complex than that- that art, as well as science, are interlinked more than is generally acknowledged and could mutually benefit from each other. Drawing from my personal experience as a scientist and once musician, I will discuss how much science is art, and how much science can bring to art in a subjective collage of thoughts and ideas, mostly drawing from the topic climate change.
- Andreas Fischlin is Head of the Terrestrial Systems Ecology Group, at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Born in 1949 he studied biology and systems theory and did ecological research in Canada. He returned to Switzerland ETH Zurich to teach systems ecology and computer science. He played a leading role in the design and formation of the novel curriculum and department of Environmental Sciences at ETH Zurich. He was presented with the Peace Nobel Prize 2007 as part of the awarded group Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for his work as coordinating lead author in the Second and Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. He represents Swiss scientists in the Swiss delegation in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations and has published numerous scientific works, notably on how climate change impacts on ecosystems.