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Description
This talk will focus on the ethical foundations of applied geoscience. There is no reason for engineering geology to exist as a profession if we do not provide society with useful and reliable information about the Earth. The ethical practice of engineering geology requires a firm commitment to the responsible conduct of geoscience in the public interest. Vince will present three of the "primacy principles" that are foundational to the practice of engineering geology, related to protecting the public interest (health, safety, well-being), the conduct of science as a truth-seeking process, and environmental stewardship.
This will be similar to presentations about geoethics that Vince gives in support of various requirements for annual ethics training. A brief example is an invited contribution to the IAPG Short Course on Geoethics that was presented at the 2021 European Geoscience Union Meeting (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhyXb6WxyOw).
Resources
Structuring thought about geoethics
Primacy Principles (after Robert Tepel's work)
Primacy principles are the most important ethical constraints for our work, just as primacy clauses in professional codes of ethics remind us of the most important considerations for a given profession. For example, the Hippocratic Oath is an ancient expression of primacy principles under which a medical healer must work.
Our goal as professional geoscientists is to participate in the responsible development of assets that are of sustainable benefit to society, while avoiding or effectively mitigating any hazardous consequences of that development.
"Licensure laws are based on the same fundamental principle as are professional codes of ethics: the professional must hold the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare to be more important than his or her interest or even the interest of the client or employer" (Tepel, 1995).
Multiple Facets of GeoEthics
Quoting from Dave Mogk's excellent web resource about Teaching GeoEthics Across the Geoscience Curriculum, accessible via https://serc.carleton.edu/geoethics/index.html, "Ethical conduct in the geoscience professions has many dimensions, including responsibilities toward the Profession, to Society, and to the Earth System. Learn more about each of these facets, including teaching resources that speak to each:"
Invited contribution by Vince Cronin to the IAPG Short Course on Geoethics, presented at the 2021 European Geoscience Union Meeting in Vienna ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhyXb6WxyOw ).
IAPG School on Geoethics and Natural Issues, resources available via https://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-school
References and Selected Bibliography
Andrews, G.C., 2014, Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience — Practice and Ethics. [5th Edition]: Toronto, Nelson Education, 472 p.
Bobrowsky, P.T., Cronin, V.S., Di Capua, G., Kieffer, S.W., Peppoloni, S., 2017, The emerging field of geoethics, in Gunderson, L.C., [editor], Scientific integrity and ethics in the geosciences: American Geophysical Union, chapter 11, p. 175-212, Published Online: 20 October 2017, DOI: 10.1002/9781119067825.ch11
Bohle, M., 2019, Exploring Geoethics -- Ethical Implications, Societal Contexts, and Professional Obligations of the Geosciences: Palgrave Pivot, Cham, XIV + 214, ISBN 978-3-030-12009-2
Chan, M.A., and Mogk, D.W., 2023, Establishing an Ethic of Sampling for Future Generations of Geoscientists: GSA Today, v. 33, p. 16-18, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG559GW.1
Cronin, V.S., 2021a, Geoethics as a common thread that can bind a geoscience department together, in Di Capua, G., [editor], Geoethics — Status and Future Perspectives: Geological Society of London Special Publication SP508, p. 55-65.
Cronin, V.S., 2021b, Geoethics in natural hazards from the perspective of an engineering geologist ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhyXb6WxyOw ), in Short Course on Geoethics, presented at the 2021 European Geoscience Union Meeting and available online at https://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-school
Cronin, V.S., 2017, Facilitating a geoscience student's ethical development, in Gunderson, L.C., [editor], Scientific integrity and ethics in the geosciences: American Geophysical Union, chapter 14, p. 267-291, Published Online: 20 October 2017, DOI: 10.1002/9781119067825.ch14
Cronin, V.S., 1993, A perspective on professional ethics in engineering geosciences, in Hoose, S., [editor], Proceedings of Symposium on Ethical Considerations in the Environmental Practice of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology: Association of Engineering Geologists National Meeting, San Antonio, p. 21-28.
Cronin V.S., 1992, On the seismic activity of the Malibu Coast Fault Zone, and other ethical problems in engineering geoscience [abs]: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no. 7, p. A284, accessible via https://CroninProjects.org/Pubs/Cronin-MCFZ-Geoethics[abs]1992.pdf.
Cronin, V.S., Slosson, J.E., and Slosson, T.L., 1991, Method of multiple working hypotheses: A chimera or a necessity for ethical practice in engineering geosciences: Proceedings, Association of Engineering Geologists National Meeting, p. 137-143.
Cronin, V.S., Slosson, J.E., Slosson, T.L., and Shuirman, G., 1990, Deadly debris flows on I-5 near Grapevine, CA, in French, R.H., [editor], Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Hydraulics/Hydrology of Arid Lands (H2AL): New York, American Society of Civil Engineers, p. 78-83, https://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?66988
Cronin, V.S., and Sverdrup, K.A., 1998, Preliminary assessment of the seismicity of the Malibu Coast Fault Zone, southern California, and related issues of phlosophy and practice, in Welby, C.W., and Gowan, M.E., [editors], A Paradox of Power: Voices of Warning and Reason in the Geosciences: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Reviews in Engineering Geology, v. XII, P. 123-155, accessible via https://CroninProjects.org/Pubs/Cronin-Sverdrup-1998.pdf
Di Capua, G., Bobrowsky, P.T., Kieffer, S.W., and Palinkas, C., [Editors], 2021, Geoethics: Status and Future Perspectives: London, Geological Society, Special Publication 508, 311 p.
Di Capua G., Peppoloni S. and Bobrowsky P.T., 2017, The Cape Town Statement on Geoethics. Annals of Geophysics, Vol. 60, Fast Track 7, doi: 10.4401/ag-7553, accesssible via https://www.geoethics.org/ctsg
Gunderson, L.C., [editor], 2018, Scientific integrity and ethics in the geosciences: Washington, D.C., American Geophysical Union, 327 p.,
Hoose, S., [Editor], 1993, Professional Practice Handbook: Association of Engineering Geologists, Special Publication 5, 191 p.
Johnson, P.A., Widnall, S.E., and Benya, F.F., [Editors], 2018, Sexual Harassment of Women — Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Washington, D.C., National Academy Press, 292 p.
Lollino, G., Arattano, M., Giardino, M., Oliveira, R., and Peppoloni, S., [Editors], 2014, Engineering Geology for Society and Territory — Volume 7 — Education, Professional Ethics, and Public Recognition of Engineering Geology: Cham, Switzerland, Springer International Publishing, 274 p.
Mogk D., 2017, Geoethics and Professionalism: The Responsible Conduct of Scientists, in Peppoloni S., Di Capua G., Bobrowsky P.T., Cronin V.S. (Eds.), Geoethics at the heart of all geoscience: Annals of Geophysics, Vol. 60, Fast Track 7, https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-7584, available via https://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/7584/6838
Peppoloni S. and Di Capua G., 2022, Geoethics — Manifesto for an ethics of responsibility towards the Earth: Springer, Cham, XII+123 pp., ISBN 978-3030980436. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98044-3
Peppoloni S. and Di Capua G., 2021, Current Definition and Vision of Geoethics, in Bohle M. and Marone E. (eds), Geo-societal Narratives - Contextualising Geosciences: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 17-28, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79028-8_2, available via https://www.geoethics.org/_files/ugd/5195a5_5d5ee02dd02048d497430074ffd632ce.pdf?index=true
Peppoloni S. and Di Capua G., 2021, Geoethics to start up a pedagogical and political path towards future sustainable societies: Sustainability, 13(18), 10024, https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810024, accessible via https://www.geoethics.org/_files/ugd/5195a5_9cffb8e6b1824c68b3097ec627e46db2.pdf?index=true
Peppoloni, S., and Di Caua, G., [Editors], 2015, Geoethics — The Role and Resonsibility of Geoscientists: London, Geological Society, Special Publication 419, 187 p.
Shlemon, R.J., Wright, R.H., and Montgomery, D.R., 1987, Anatomy of a debris flow, Pacifica, California, in Costa, J.E., and Wieczorek, G.F., editors, Debris Flows/Avalanches: Process, Recognition, and Mitigation: Geological Society of America Reviews in Engineering Geology, p. 181-200, download from ResearchGate .
Shuirman, G., and Slosson, J.E., 1992, Forensic Engineering -- Environmental Case Histories for Civil Engineers and Geologists: Academic Press, 296 p., ISBN 0-12-640740-1, especially the following chapter:
• Chapter 3. Malibu landslide -- Massive litigation. Concerns the Big Rock Mesa landslide in Malibu, California.
Slosson, J.E., Williams, J.W., and Cronin, V.S., 1991, Current and future difficulties in the practice of engineering geology: Engineering Geology, v. 30, p. 3-12.
Tepel, R.E., 1995, Professional Licensure for Geologists -- An Exploration of Issues: Special Publication 7, Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, accessed August 2, 2023 via https://aeg.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/Publications/SP7_Professional%20Licensure%20for%20Geologists.pdf
World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, Our common future: Oslo, Norway: United Nations General Assembly, Development and International Cooperation: Environment, accessible via https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf
Wyss, M., and Peppoloni, S., 2014, Geoethics, Ethical Challenges and Case Studies in Earth Sciences: Elsevier, 450 p., ISBN 978-0127999357
For a slightly different set of resources on geoethics, visit the Geoethics resource page posted in support of the AEG webinar on geoethics, August 11, 2023.
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