Climate Change: Bridging the Theory-Action Gap

In Plato’s Protagoras Socrates presents the problem of Akrasia (ἀκρασíα), wherein one knows the right thing to do but fails to act accordingly. I am interested in identifying how to bridge this gap between theoretical commitments and behaviour. I discuss the problem in the context of the climate change crisis. Action lags, despite highly persuasive arguments that continuing the current trajectory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is irrational and immoral. Given this failing I recommend that practitioners of moral philosophy prioritize working on a swift resolution to the theory-action gap; namely the gap between espoused moral values and the actions that reflect such values. I contend that ethicists require a more robust account of how to facilitate morally justified behaviour and political action. One move in this direction pertains to motivation. An action-inspiring environmental philosophy makes necessary a grounding in knowledge of what morally motivates people to action. Thus, I argue that theory, practice and pedagogy must be empirically rooted in moral psychology regarding motivation and behaviour change.