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A Different Trolley Problem: The Limits of Environmental Justice and the Promise of Complex Moral Assessments for Transportation Infrastructure

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Abstract

Transportation infrastructure tremendously affects the quality of life for urban residents, influences public and mental health, and shapes social relations. Historically, the topic is rich with social and political controversy and the resultant transit systems in the United States cause problems for minority residents and issues for the public. Environmental justice frameworks provide a means to identify and address harms that affect marginalized groups, but environmental justice has limits that cannot account for the mainstream population. To account for this condition, I employ a complex moral assessment measure that provides a way to talk about harms that affect the public.

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Notes

  1. There is substantial research that connects social justice with transportation concerns. For instance, see: Mercier (2009).

  2. 186 F.2d 562 United States v. National City Lines, Inc., et al. Nos. 9943–9953.

  3. For some background into such issues, see, Illich (1973).

  4. It is also worth pointing out that Atlanta’s suburban commuters suffer different adverse health impacts and pollution, to a lesser degree.

  5. It is not always the case that highways or light rails systems cause problems. On the contrary, bus systems can alleviate harmful conditions. For more information, see, Reft (2015).

  6. One could argue that the use of bicycles (cf. Beijing etc.), mopeds, motor bikes and other very cheap forms of transportation may alleviate some of the problem issues for minority groups.

  7. For more information regarding highway related deaths, see http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx. Accessed 4 January 2015.

  8. It is worth pointing out the first use of the term “process” refers to CBA’s affects on decisions, while the latter use concerns CBA as a process.

  9. One could object, holding that focusing on moral outcomes commits one to consequentialism. In turn, one cannot employ deontology or other approaches that are not consistent with consequentialism. This is not a problem for structural ethics because one can stipulate the conditions for what counts as a moral outcome. For example, a deontologist could declare an action to have a moral outcome only if it does not conflict with the principles of deontology. I discuss this issue at some length elsewhere. See Epting (2015).

  10. Such cases allude to the difficult problem of determining culpability due to elements such as individual and group responsibility. While a proper examination is beyond the scope of this paper, I address such issues elsewhere, see, Epting (ibid.).

  11. One could argue that I have committed the straw man fallacy through not explaining Floridi’s use of displaced morality. However, I am not arguing that he is wrong, only pointing out that term is not a perfect fit.

  12. A similar objection could be made here (see previous footnote), but I am not arguing against PMH, only holding that it is not best term for the case at hand. A group can be held culpable; consider a band of terrorists bent on a bombing raid.

  13. This point does not mean that all such cases are excusable. Consider individuals who design road systems that have accident black spots in them. While arrangements are straightened out once they have been discovered, one could argue that more diligence should have been applied to prevent their emergence in the first place.

  14. Bearing this point in mind, it is not only customer preferences that militate against trams/light rail systems, but it is the existence of the rails themselves that make problems for cyclists. Pedestrians and the limited flexibility can cause problems for motorists.

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  1. Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #310920, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA

    Shane Epting

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  1. Shane Epting
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Epting, S. A Different Trolley Problem: The Limits of Environmental Justice and the Promise of Complex Moral Assessments for Transportation Infrastructure. Sci Eng Ethics 22, 1781–1795 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-015-9732-3

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