At first blush, the topic of restoring wolves to the wild spaces of western Colorado appears to pit those who trust in modern science against those who believe the only truth out there is what they and those like them think.

Dig deeper, though, and you’ll discover that those who oppose wolves do trust in science, but they know that the science of wolf ecology and recovery means that they will have to make some changes – and that unsettles some of them.

Every time I get into a car or bus or plane, I put my trust in a host of engineers, mathematicians and planners that I will arrive at the other end of my journey in one piece. Likewise, when I go to the doctor, I have confidence she will diagnose and treat me based upon…