Open AccessPublic's moral view not a sign of ignorance
Author(s) -
Genereux David
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/99eo00247
Subject(s) - ignorance , realm , sign (mathematics) , root (linguistics) , environmental ethics , epistemology , perspective (graphical) , political science , law , philosophy , computer science , mathematical analysis , linguistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence
I read with interest the recent article, “Report Suggests Some Public Attitudes about Geophysical and Environmental Issues” ( Eos , June 15, 1999). The aspect I found most interesting was the reaction of the scientists involved to the “public's tendency to consider environmental and geophysical threats from a moral perspective.” The scientists attributed this to a lack of scientific understanding or knowledge, and depending on the “threats” involved and exactly how the questions were asked, this may be partly true. However, the “public's tendency” to appreciate the ethical dimensions of problems like poor water quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and to see the connection between these problems and shortsighted, profit‐motivated actions of polluters, is actually a mature, realistic, informed appreciation for root causes, not a sign of ignorance. These true root causes are outside the realm of science, but scientists certainly shouldn't be surprised (and definitely shouldn't be concerned) when others recognize them.