This week's readings involved a lot of new information for me on weather and meteorology perception in Britain throughout the period around the 18th century and prior. The Jankovic reading delved into the general understanding of meteorology during this period and how it shifted from a more theological and religious background to a scientific understanding. The non-linear nature of this explanation sometimes left me a little confused, but I enjoyed piecing together the history. The points brought up during Thursday night's discussion helped highlight some negatives in the scientific process discussed. The idea that the rigid scientific nature of data gathering by the British Empire at the time in regards to meteorology led to cutting of native sources of information somewhat mirrors the ongoing discussion we have been having about the role of natural and social sciences in this field. For example, we had previously discussed the role that climate historians could have in helping climate models more accurately model systems involving humans. Overall though, while the Jankovic reading was intriguing I found the Golinski reading interested me more.
I found Golinski's observations in the role of plagues and famine and their initial intense association with the weather to be somewhat connected to the religious aspects of the weather Jankovic discussed and even some of the material we've encountered in previous readings we've encountered. For example, last week's readings regarding the little ice age discussed how many people during that period, searching for an explanation for the shift in climate and weather, turned to persecution and fanaticism culminating in events such as witch hunts. In a similar manner, people began searching for any kind of explanation or cause for the spread of disease during winters and made the association of connecting it directly to the weather. The juxtaposition of this initial mindset in which humanity was very much at the mercy of the elements to the progress made through innovation with advancements made in medicine and machinery revealed a lot about human mindset leading to, during, and after the enlightenment. With inventions such as the barometer and other devices related to the climate humans began to be able to understand the weather to a greater degree therefore removing the barrier of the unknown that was generating those initial fears and attributions of misery. This seemed to culminate in the sections of the reading that discussed that scientists at the time were aware that humans were able to effect the climate, and in fact welcomed this ability. It represented the control and power I'm sure they felt as compared to where humanity was at the start of the reading.
The John Hunt journals were rather confusing to me. I struggled to read them in their primary source form, and even the text transcription was somewhat perplexing. I've never personally kept a journal, diary, or other record keeping medium, but it was interesting to see the events Hunt found interesting. Some entries were short while others long, and I especially found the last reading to be interesting. Additionally, I thought the weather being used at regular intervals to be somewhat similar to how I remember days I look back on. While it may be hard to remember what day, week, month, or even year a certain event happened on the weather can be clearly pictured.