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Infrastructure, Urban Sprawl, And Naturally-Occurring Asbestos: An Ontological Thought Model For Wicked And Saving Technologies, Shane Ray Epting

Arts, Languages and Philosophy Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recently, geologists in Southern Nevada discovered new deposits of naturally occurring asbestos and microscopic fibers in rocks and soil. The danger is that inhaling them can lead to mesothelioma. One problem is that this rare cancer often takes decades to manifest. This discovery abruptly stalled a highway project near Las Vegas. Due to this condition, management developed numerous protocols to keep workers safe. Using this case as a "thought model," the author challenges an established way of categorizing kinds of technologies as they relate to the concept of being. In turn, this thought model reveals that climate change alters the …