Computer Predictions for Nature and Society: Can they be trusted?
11th September 2008, Royal Society of Scotland
and
NANIA Research Meeting on Complexity
12th September 2008, University of Edinburgh
Computer simulations have long been used by scientists and engineers to help design better materials and machines. Increasingly computers are being used to predict the future for natural and social processes, such as epidemics, climate change, economic forecasting and earthquakes. Why should these predictions be trusted, given the complexity of these systems and the many unknown variables involved? Should government policy be based on them?
We have gathered together four leading computer modellers to present their views, and defend them in panel discussions. Since the consequences of their fi ndings may affect us all, we will invite the audience to enter the debate by putting questions to two expert panels.
A subsequent one day academic meeting will take place at the University of Edinburgh on the 12th September. This is the End meeting of the NANIA project - an EPSRC Novel Computation Initiative#
http://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/nania/2008-meeting.html
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.comses.net/events/17/