Understanding the role of value in coral reef science

Abstract

This thesis explores the role of value in coral science from the perspective of philosophy of science in practice. More specifically, it looks at the epistemology of different practices and theories in coral science, particularly how they interact with various forms of value, and how these forms of value can be understood. The arguments are organised into five chapters, which all make use of data collected in interviews with coral scientists, as well as ideas from coral science literature. The first presents an examination of ecological baselines, which I show do not simply ‘shift’ as has been supposed, but vary for a variety of reasons. This raises a question I address in the second chapter: when is this variation considered legitimate? The answer depends on the value of different reef states being considered. After showing how coral scientists navigate this in practice, I move on to the next two chapters where I explore areas of coral science where important forms of valuation take place: first, the value frameworks of intrinsic value and ecosystem services; and second, the use of bioacoustic techniques to assess reef health from non-human perspectives. These offer examples of how different forms of value shape coral science and make it relevant to the lifeforms practising and influenced by it. In the final chapter I present a view of coral science as a form of multispecies niche construction, both in the lab and the field. On this view, coral science is aimed at the flourishing of a range of living systems. This offers a better understanding of science-value interactions in socio-ecological contexts, such as when faced with decisions about baselines and interventions designed around these. Understanding how to navigate such situations is likely to become increasingly important as the challenges of surviving as a species continue to mount.