SRM and the Hazards and Benefits of Technological Fixes
Dane Scott
The University of Montana
A common tactic in public debates over science and technology is to dismissively label
innovations as mere technological fixes. This tactic can be readily observed in the emerging
debate over geoengineering, specifically solar radiation management (SRM). While these
criticisms are often superficial rhetorical tactics, they point to deeper philosophical
disagreements about the role of technology in addressing environmental and social problems.
Examining the technological fix criticisms can clarify these underlying philosophical
disagreements over SRM. The first part of this presentation outlines the origins of the notion of a
technological fix and distinguishes two types of technological fix criticisms, philosophical and
practical. These distinctions are then applied to clarify and evaluate ethical arguments for and
against SRM. This analysis should clarify the debates over SRM and bring to light fundamental
philosophical differences over the role of large-scale technologies in addressing the global
climate crisis.