Dominic Roser | University of Fribourg (original) (raw)
Papers by Dominic Roser
Environmental Values, 2011
Human Rights and 21st Century Challenges
The extent of uncertainty which besets environmental challenges is an important factor for policy... more The extent of uncertainty which besets environmental challenges is an important factor for policy choice. Precautionary principles capture the intuition that we ought to act cautiously in the face of uncertainty. However, precautionary principles have often been criticized for being either trivial or extreme. This criticism is justified in a number of cases. Examples include precautionary principles which suggest triggering conditions for cautiousness such as serious damage, irreversible damage, non-linear damage, or uncertainty (as an opposite to risk). Apart from this negative case, the chapter also makes a positive case by providing a rationale for cautiousness. If increased uncertainty means that there is both an increased probability of implicating rights and an increased probability of providing benefits that go beyond the fulfilment of rights, then a rights-based approach will generally be averse to increased uncertainty. This is because rights implications and supererogatory...
GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, Jul 15, 2021
Aryya BHATTACHARYA, is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, at Vivekananda College for Women... more Aryya BHATTACHARYA, is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, at Vivekananda College for Women under the Calcutta University. She has completed her PhD from Jadavpur University on knowledge of other minds. Her area of specialization is philosophy of mind, ethics and aesthetics. She has presented papers in various seminars including the Asiatic Society where she spoke on Advaita Saivism of Kashmir. She studied Japanese language at Indo-Japan Language Society, Calcutta. She has studied Indian religion and philosophy under the guidance of her spiritual teacher Anantasri Sitaramdas Omkarnath Serra İnci ÇELEBİ�� �h�� is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in �� �h�� is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in ecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in �ar �niversit�� in ar University in Turkey. She is the co-author of a book entitled Marketing PR (MediaCat, 1999). The author has been involved in several international conferences (e.g.
Environmental Values, 2011
Sauberes Wasser, fruchtbare Boden, angenehme Temperaturen: Die Beschaffenheit der Umwelt in all i... more Sauberes Wasser, fruchtbare Boden, angenehme Temperaturen: Die Beschaffenheit der Umwelt in all ihren Facetten ist einer der wichtigsten Bestimmungsfaktoren menschlicher Lebensqualitat. Die Umwelt verandert sich seit jeher, doch der Stellenwert des Menschen als deren absichtlicher und unabsichtlicher Gestalter ist seit der industriellen Revolution viel wichtiger geworden.
This chapter considers two questions of distributive justice that arise when we face dangerous cl... more This chapter considers two questions of distributive justice that arise when we face dangerous climate change. The first (the Just Target Question) concerns what balance to strike between ensuring that moral subjects are not harmed by climatic changes and ensuring that the policies required to prevent harmful climatic changes are not unduly onerous. The second (the Just Burden Question) concerns how the costs involved in combating dangerous climate change should be distributed among duty-bearers. The chapter identifies several methodological issues we need to confront to address these questions. In addition to this, it outlines how one might answer the Just Target Question, and evaluates several leading accounts of how to answer the Just Burden Question. One central finding is that the issues of justice raised by climate change cannot be treated in isolation but must be analysed as part of a more general global and intergenerational account of justice.
Politik der Zukunft, 2020
Many speeches on climate change try to balance their hard message by ending with an upbeat call f... more Many speeches on climate change try to balance their hard message by ending with an upbeat call for hope. However, such calls for hope are often taken to be nothing more than a bit of hot air. And, if the calls for hope are in fact taken seriously, they are not always spared from criticism. Against such sceptical views, this article defends the cultivation of hope as justifiable and good - and thus also as a relevant consideration in policymaking. The considerations for and against hope are illustrated throughout by application to climate change but the argument should be generalizable to other policy contexts. Given the broad range of definitions of hope in the literature, the article first grapples with the concept itself. It settles on an understanding of hope as a desire for, and a mental emphasis on, an object which is believed to possibly, but not certainly, come about. Based on this concept, the article then shows that the belief in the possibility of limiting temperature inc...
Science and engineering ethics, Oct 8, 2017
Precautionary Principles are often said to be appropriate for decision-making in contexts of unce... more Precautionary Principles are often said to be appropriate for decision-making in contexts of uncertainty such as climate policy. Contexts of uncertainty are contrasted to contexts of risk depending on whether we have probabilities or not. Against this view, I argue that the risk-uncertainty distinction is practically irrelevant. I start by noting that the history of the distinction between risk and uncertainty is more varied than is sometimes assumed. In order to examine the distinction, I unpack the idea of having probabilities, in particular by distinguishing three interpretations of probability: objective, epistemic, and subjective probability. I then claim that if we are concerned with whether we have probabilities at all-regardless of how low their epistemic credentials are-then we almost always have probabilities for policy-making. The reason is that subjective and epistemic probability are the relevant interpretations of probability and we almost always have subjective and ep...
Analyse & Kritik, 2011
Not all countries do their fair share in the effort of preventing dangerous climate change. This ... more Not all countries do their fair share in the effort of preventing dangerous climate change. This presents those who are willing to do their part with the question whether they should ‘take up the slack’ and try to compensate for the non-compliers’ failure to reduce emissions. There is a pro tanto reason for doing so given the human rights violations associated with dangerous climate change. The article focuses on fending off two objections against a duty to take up the slack: that it is unfair and ineffective. We grant that it is unfair if some have to step in for others but argue that this does not amount to a decisive objection under conditions of partial compliance. With regard to the charge of emission reductions being ineffective, we argue that the empirical case for this claim is missing and that even if it were not, there still remains the option of taking up the slack in other forms.
Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World, 2016
This is the table of contents for a forthcoming book, co-edited with Dominic Roser
Analyse & Kritik, 2006
The emission of greenhouse gases causes climate change. Therefore, many support a global cap on e... more The emission of greenhouse gases causes climate change. Therefore, many support a global cap on emissions. How then should the emissions allowed under this cap be distributed? We first show that above average past emissions cannot be used to justify a right to above average current emissions. We then sketch three basic principles of distributive justice (egalitarianism, prioritarianism, and sufficientarianism) and argue, first, that prioritarian standards are the most plausible and, second, that they speak in favour of giving people of developing countries higher emission rights than people of industrialised countries. In order to support this point it has to be shown, inter alia, in what ways the higher past emissions of industrialised countries are relevant for today’s distribution of emission rights.
The claim of this paper is that, at least in the area of climate policy, we should not justify th... more The claim of this paper is that, at least in the area of climate policy, we should not justify the call for precautionary policy choice on the basis of a supposed lack of probabilities. Probabilities are (almost) always available and we ought to make use of whatever probabilities are available–even if the only available probabilities have extremely low credentials. Precautionary policy choice can be justified sufficiently well on the basis of other considerations than a lack of probabilities.
In many ways, the Copenhagen summit of December 2009 marked an important departure from the pract... more In many ways, the Copenhagen summit of December 2009 marked an important departure from the practice of multilateral climate cooperation over the previous two decades. The Copenhagen Accord, which was driven by the US and China, is characterized by a voluntary pledge and review system for emission reductions, and therefore a fundamental change of the current UN based multilateral approach. Within a multilateral agreement science-based emission reduction requirements could be the basis for ...
Effective Altruism and Religion, 2022
Despite primarily emerging in secular circles, effective altruism is not merely compatible with C... more Despite primarily emerging in secular circles, effective altruism is not merely compatible with Christianity but is of significant value to it. Its insights offer much support to Christians aiming at serving their neighbour well. The chapter characterises effective altruism by way of seven commitments. Not all of these commitments are embraced by Christianity to their maximal extent. But they all point in the right direction if we compare the actual practice of Christians with the ideal. Christians are called to be more altruistic, and their altruism should put more emphasis on effectively achieving good consequences. In particular, the impartially assessed welfare consequences for those in need should receive more attention. Such a focus would benefit from more careful belief formation about what works in line with the epistemic practices advocated by effective altruism. The article also mentions one tension between the underlying mindset of effective altruism and Christianity. While effective altruism is driven by the aim of intentionally taking responsibility for results into one's own hands, Christianity includes an affirmation of trustfully letting go of control.
Ökologisches Wirtschaften - Fachzeitschrift, 2006
Ein zentraler ethischer Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeitsdebatte ist die Frage nach der Gerechtigkeit zw... more Ein zentraler ethischer Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeitsdebatte ist die Frage nach der Gerechtigkeit zwischen den Generationen. Wir alle wollen, das es auch unseren Kindern gut geht. Aber kann Wirtschaftswachstum dazu beitragen?
Environmental Values, 2011
Human Rights and 21st Century Challenges
The extent of uncertainty which besets environmental challenges is an important factor for policy... more The extent of uncertainty which besets environmental challenges is an important factor for policy choice. Precautionary principles capture the intuition that we ought to act cautiously in the face of uncertainty. However, precautionary principles have often been criticized for being either trivial or extreme. This criticism is justified in a number of cases. Examples include precautionary principles which suggest triggering conditions for cautiousness such as serious damage, irreversible damage, non-linear damage, or uncertainty (as an opposite to risk). Apart from this negative case, the chapter also makes a positive case by providing a rationale for cautiousness. If increased uncertainty means that there is both an increased probability of implicating rights and an increased probability of providing benefits that go beyond the fulfilment of rights, then a rights-based approach will generally be averse to increased uncertainty. This is because rights implications and supererogatory...
GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, Jul 15, 2021
Aryya BHATTACHARYA, is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, at Vivekananda College for Women... more Aryya BHATTACHARYA, is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, at Vivekananda College for Women under the Calcutta University. She has completed her PhD from Jadavpur University on knowledge of other minds. Her area of specialization is philosophy of mind, ethics and aesthetics. She has presented papers in various seminars including the Asiatic Society where she spoke on Advaita Saivism of Kashmir. She studied Japanese language at Indo-Japan Language Society, Calcutta. She has studied Indian religion and philosophy under the guidance of her spiritual teacher Anantasri Sitaramdas Omkarnath Serra İnci ÇELEBİ�� �h�� is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in �� �h�� is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in is a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in a lecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in ecturer in pu�lic relations at �a�ar �niversit�� in �ar �niversit�� in ar University in Turkey. She is the co-author of a book entitled Marketing PR (MediaCat, 1999). The author has been involved in several international conferences (e.g.
Environmental Values, 2011
Sauberes Wasser, fruchtbare Boden, angenehme Temperaturen: Die Beschaffenheit der Umwelt in all i... more Sauberes Wasser, fruchtbare Boden, angenehme Temperaturen: Die Beschaffenheit der Umwelt in all ihren Facetten ist einer der wichtigsten Bestimmungsfaktoren menschlicher Lebensqualitat. Die Umwelt verandert sich seit jeher, doch der Stellenwert des Menschen als deren absichtlicher und unabsichtlicher Gestalter ist seit der industriellen Revolution viel wichtiger geworden.
This chapter considers two questions of distributive justice that arise when we face dangerous cl... more This chapter considers two questions of distributive justice that arise when we face dangerous climate change. The first (the Just Target Question) concerns what balance to strike between ensuring that moral subjects are not harmed by climatic changes and ensuring that the policies required to prevent harmful climatic changes are not unduly onerous. The second (the Just Burden Question) concerns how the costs involved in combating dangerous climate change should be distributed among duty-bearers. The chapter identifies several methodological issues we need to confront to address these questions. In addition to this, it outlines how one might answer the Just Target Question, and evaluates several leading accounts of how to answer the Just Burden Question. One central finding is that the issues of justice raised by climate change cannot be treated in isolation but must be analysed as part of a more general global and intergenerational account of justice.
Politik der Zukunft, 2020
Many speeches on climate change try to balance their hard message by ending with an upbeat call f... more Many speeches on climate change try to balance their hard message by ending with an upbeat call for hope. However, such calls for hope are often taken to be nothing more than a bit of hot air. And, if the calls for hope are in fact taken seriously, they are not always spared from criticism. Against such sceptical views, this article defends the cultivation of hope as justifiable and good - and thus also as a relevant consideration in policymaking. The considerations for and against hope are illustrated throughout by application to climate change but the argument should be generalizable to other policy contexts. Given the broad range of definitions of hope in the literature, the article first grapples with the concept itself. It settles on an understanding of hope as a desire for, and a mental emphasis on, an object which is believed to possibly, but not certainly, come about. Based on this concept, the article then shows that the belief in the possibility of limiting temperature inc...
Science and engineering ethics, Oct 8, 2017
Precautionary Principles are often said to be appropriate for decision-making in contexts of unce... more Precautionary Principles are often said to be appropriate for decision-making in contexts of uncertainty such as climate policy. Contexts of uncertainty are contrasted to contexts of risk depending on whether we have probabilities or not. Against this view, I argue that the risk-uncertainty distinction is practically irrelevant. I start by noting that the history of the distinction between risk and uncertainty is more varied than is sometimes assumed. In order to examine the distinction, I unpack the idea of having probabilities, in particular by distinguishing three interpretations of probability: objective, epistemic, and subjective probability. I then claim that if we are concerned with whether we have probabilities at all-regardless of how low their epistemic credentials are-then we almost always have probabilities for policy-making. The reason is that subjective and epistemic probability are the relevant interpretations of probability and we almost always have subjective and ep...
Analyse & Kritik, 2011
Not all countries do their fair share in the effort of preventing dangerous climate change. This ... more Not all countries do their fair share in the effort of preventing dangerous climate change. This presents those who are willing to do their part with the question whether they should ‘take up the slack’ and try to compensate for the non-compliers’ failure to reduce emissions. There is a pro tanto reason for doing so given the human rights violations associated with dangerous climate change. The article focuses on fending off two objections against a duty to take up the slack: that it is unfair and ineffective. We grant that it is unfair if some have to step in for others but argue that this does not amount to a decisive objection under conditions of partial compliance. With regard to the charge of emission reductions being ineffective, we argue that the empirical case for this claim is missing and that even if it were not, there still remains the option of taking up the slack in other forms.
Climate Justice in a Non-Ideal World, 2016
This is the table of contents for a forthcoming book, co-edited with Dominic Roser
Analyse & Kritik, 2006
The emission of greenhouse gases causes climate change. Therefore, many support a global cap on e... more The emission of greenhouse gases causes climate change. Therefore, many support a global cap on emissions. How then should the emissions allowed under this cap be distributed? We first show that above average past emissions cannot be used to justify a right to above average current emissions. We then sketch three basic principles of distributive justice (egalitarianism, prioritarianism, and sufficientarianism) and argue, first, that prioritarian standards are the most plausible and, second, that they speak in favour of giving people of developing countries higher emission rights than people of industrialised countries. In order to support this point it has to be shown, inter alia, in what ways the higher past emissions of industrialised countries are relevant for today’s distribution of emission rights.
The claim of this paper is that, at least in the area of climate policy, we should not justify th... more The claim of this paper is that, at least in the area of climate policy, we should not justify the call for precautionary policy choice on the basis of a supposed lack of probabilities. Probabilities are (almost) always available and we ought to make use of whatever probabilities are available–even if the only available probabilities have extremely low credentials. Precautionary policy choice can be justified sufficiently well on the basis of other considerations than a lack of probabilities.
In many ways, the Copenhagen summit of December 2009 marked an important departure from the pract... more In many ways, the Copenhagen summit of December 2009 marked an important departure from the practice of multilateral climate cooperation over the previous two decades. The Copenhagen Accord, which was driven by the US and China, is characterized by a voluntary pledge and review system for emission reductions, and therefore a fundamental change of the current UN based multilateral approach. Within a multilateral agreement science-based emission reduction requirements could be the basis for ...
Effective Altruism and Religion, 2022
Despite primarily emerging in secular circles, effective altruism is not merely compatible with C... more Despite primarily emerging in secular circles, effective altruism is not merely compatible with Christianity but is of significant value to it. Its insights offer much support to Christians aiming at serving their neighbour well. The chapter characterises effective altruism by way of seven commitments. Not all of these commitments are embraced by Christianity to their maximal extent. But they all point in the right direction if we compare the actual practice of Christians with the ideal. Christians are called to be more altruistic, and their altruism should put more emphasis on effectively achieving good consequences. In particular, the impartially assessed welfare consequences for those in need should receive more attention. Such a focus would benefit from more careful belief formation about what works in line with the epistemic practices advocated by effective altruism. The article also mentions one tension between the underlying mindset of effective altruism and Christianity. While effective altruism is driven by the aim of intentionally taking responsibility for results into one's own hands, Christianity includes an affirmation of trustfully letting go of control.
Ökologisches Wirtschaften - Fachzeitschrift, 2006
Ein zentraler ethischer Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeitsdebatte ist die Frage nach der Gerechtigkeit zw... more Ein zentraler ethischer Aspekt der Nachhaltigkeitsdebatte ist die Frage nach der Gerechtigkeit zwischen den Generationen. Wir alle wollen, das es auch unseren Kindern gut geht. Aber kann Wirtschaftswachstum dazu beitragen?