Rhetoric, epistemology and climate change economics.

This paper explores the epistemological basis for economic prognostications of climate change activists arising from, arguably, the most important scientific problem confronting modern society: the facts, beliefs and theories associated with the measurement, causes, impact and mitigation of climate change. This facilitates identification of the role that rhetoric plays in activist claims associated with the economics of global warming and climate change. Following a rudimentary discussion of ancient views on rhetoric, the connection of rhetoric with anti-foundational epistemology and language is identified. Criteria for determining when language is rhetorical are specified. Exploiting this philosophical background, mitigation proposals of climate change activists derived from models of climate change economics are critiqued. • Clarifies the role of rhetoric in climate change mitigation proposals. • Provides background on the historical development of rhetoric that is absent for available literature in ecological economics. • Critiques prognostications of economic models for climate change mitigation proposals. • Explores the connection between rhetoric, epistemology and language in the context of climate change activism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]