Public Lecture by Dr. Eric Godoy Imagining Infinite Energy The Ethics of Fossil-Fuel and Renewable Energy
Although energy is abundant in nature only a very small amount of it is harnessed to power human societies. The availability of this energy has had enormous impact on culture and politics. But if we imagine accessing the infinite energy provided by the sun or clean fusion power, it becomes clear that a just transition from fossil-fuel to renewable energy cannot focus on availability and access alone. Lithium mining for batteries, land grabs for solar and wind fields, transition justice for coal communities, and the growth of data centers are all serious ethical challenges to overcome. How can an energy democracy framework help secure a just transition?
Free & Open to the Public
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
Time: 7pm ET
Location: Vahlkamp Theater, Crounse Hall, Centre College [Map]
Dr. Eric Godoy
Associate Professor of Philosophy, Illinois State University
American Council of Learned Societies 2025 Fellow
Dr. Godoy is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Illinois State University. He specializes in environmental, moral, and social-political philosophy. He has recently published on energy democracy, dinosaur films, urban park design, trophy hunting dentists. His collaborative, transdisciplinary research has been cited by the IPCC. Other venues for his work include Ethics Policy & Environment, Environmental Ethics, The Journal of Cleaner Production, and The New York Times
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