Prudent reflective equilibrium and the climate crisis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47456/sofia.v14i2.50951

Keywords:

prudent reflective equilibrium, climate crisis, virtues, duties

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate to what extent the use of the reflective equilibrium (RE) method can point us towards our personal and institutional responsibility in the face of the climate crisis. To this end, I begin by characterizing the RE method and pointing out its limitations, especially its conservatism and relativism/subjectivism. Following this, I propose an alteration to the method, so as to allow for the use of the prudent agent's expertise in the initial selection of beliefs, in order to overcome the criticisms mentioned. The next step will then be to apply the prudent reflective equilibrium (PRE) method in the context of the climate crisis in order to identify our duties in the face of the problem and to understand the best course of public action. Finally, I make some concluding remarks on the problem investigated, suggesting some personal duties in the face of the climate crisis, as well as suggesting some courses of action that should be taken by the main public institutions to address the environmental problem.

Author Biography

  • Denis Coitinho, UNISINOS – Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos

    Pós-doutorado na Universidade de Harvard, na London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) e no CEBRAP/SP - Centro Brasileiro de Análise e Planejamento. Doutor em Filosofia pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. É professor permanente do PPG em Filosofia da UNISINOS e pesquisador PQ do CNPq. Pesquisa na área de Ética e Filosofia Política, investigando os seguintes temas: teorias da justiça e das virtudes, responsabilidade moral e punição, direitos humanos e  democracia.

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Published

27-01-2026

Issue

Section

Virtudes e perfeccionismo: Aristóteles, Nietzsche, Rawls e além

How to Cite

Coitinho, D. . (2026). Prudent reflective equilibrium and the climate crisis. Sofia , 14(2), e14250951. https://doi.org/10.47456/sofia.v14i2.50951