Interesting Bryan. Thanks. Science is, of course, full of moral and ethical tensions---the use of animals in medical research, embryonic stem cell use, research on the widespread deployment of facial recognition technology, weapons research (Neil de Grasse Tyson wrote a great book about how astrophysicists and defense officials basically attend all the same conferences), research on genetically modified plants to make them more resistant to disease and drought (which makes complete sense to some and is reckless tinkering to others), and on and on. The fact that books and journals are published about oil and gas extraction isn’t a moral-ethical juxtaposition of any different type or magnitude, I think---just a reflection the reality that we’re still very much dependent on oil and gas (rightly or wrongly, for better or worse). Mario or Susan can no doubt wax philosophic about this---maybe someone can recommend a good book on this topic? The Guardian didn’t really put this tension into context but just focused on an anti-Elsevier shin-kicking.
--