A Field Philosopher’s Guide to Fracking: How One Texas Town Stood Up to Big Oil and Gas

Briggle, a philosophy professor at the University of North Texas, had never heard of fracking until he moved to Denton, Tex., in 2009. But he soon learned that there are 250 gas wells in Denton alone, “that fracking had sparked a global energy revolution,” and that it had become a “contentious political issue.” In this blunt yet hopeful chronology, Briggle confers with scientists, engineers, policy makers, and fellow citizens to gain a broad overview of fracking. Known technically as hydraulic fracturing, the process involves blasting rock formations with sand, water, and chemicals in order to extract oil and gas. Briggle details its negative effects on the environment and the health risks it poses to surrounding communities. He works on a grassroots level as well to ban fracking in Denton itself, helping to establish the Denton Stakeholder Drilling Advisory Group, whose campaign efforts and accomplishments form a chunk of the narrative. And because positions on fracking don’t neatly map onto traditional American political notions of left and right, Briggle delineates the competing worldviews of those he dubs “precautionaries” and “proactionaries.” Briggle’s philosophical framing of the conversation sets his work apart and helps provide further insight on this divisive topic. [em](Oct.) [/em]