The Mediterranean Sea as a natural model: a philosophical genealogy of the idea

Abstract:
Philosophers of climate sciences agree that the main methodologies of comparative and analogical reasoning across spatiotemporal scales in these disciplines are based on the results of computer simulations, laboratory-scale model tests, real-time global observations, and paleoclimate records. In this paper, Pablo argues that these approaches suffer from a globalizing gaze centered on the integration of scales into global climate models, lacking regional sensitivity. Regional-scale phenomena often act as natural, scaled models of large-scale patterns. Illustratively, he turns to the history of oceanography in the Mediterranean Sea, a basin known for responding to external forcings at accelerated and amplified rates compared to the world ocean.

Following the seminar, Professor Nadia Pinardi will dedicate a moment to commemorate Professor Emin Özsoy, recently passed away. The commemoration will include contributions from Professor Pinardi, Ali Aydogdu, Professor Paolo Oddo, and Giuseppe Manzella.

Speaker’s Bio:
Pablo Lima is a PhD student in the ERC DEEPMED project, an interdisciplinary research group working on the history of marine science, technology and the environment in the Mediterranean Sea. Through his research, Pablo is reconstructing the genealogy of the idea of the Mediterranean basin being a ‘miniature ocean’ or ‘natural model’ of the global ocean, which has circulated widely among ocean scientists and marine policymakers until nowadays.

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A cura di:
Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience