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A modest defense of geoengineering research

Winsberg, Eric (2019) A modest defense of geoengineering research. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This paper examines the ethics of geoengineering research--particular research regarding solar radiation management using stratospheric aerosols. It takes a broadly consequentialist approach. The goal is to estimate the expected utility of conducting the research itself. The approach is to make no appeals to fundamental research freedoms; nor to simply assume from the fact that the expected utility of pursuing geoengineering implementations presently looks negative, that the research itself has negative expected utility. The paper asks, instead: Assuming that the balance of risks at the present moment looks stacked against the wisdom of pursuing a particular implementation, are there in fact good reasons for opposing mere research into geoengineering strategies? It concludes that a modest defense of this research is warranted.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Winsberg, Ericwinsberg@usf.edu
Keywords: Climate, geoengineering, freedom of research
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Climate Science and Meteorology
Depositing User: Eric Winsberg
Date Deposited: 03 Oct 2019 15:29
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2019 15:29
Item ID: 16491
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Climate Science and Meteorology
Date: 2 October 2019
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16491

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