A Rational Reconstruction of the L’Aquila Case: How Non-Denial Turns into Acceptance

ABSTRACT

In 2009, an earthquake struck the city L’Aquila, causing more than 300 deaths and leading to a trial which lasted almost four years and – though cleared in the appeal – in which scientists were sentenced to imprisonment for failing to adequately assist in public decision-making. In this paper, the particular role of scientists in risk assessment communication is investigated. The arguments put forward in the trial of this case are rationally reconstructed, evaluated, and our results are compared with other analyses of this case.

KEYWORDS:

• L’Aquila 2009 earthquake
• public inclusion
• expert-laypeople communication
• risk communication

Acknowledgments

For very valuable feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript as well as helpful discussions on the topic, I would like to thank Giovanna Cultrera, Jan Sprenger, Gerhard Schurz, and two anonymous referees of this journal.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christian J. Feldbacher-Escamilla

Christian J. Feldbacher-Escamilla is a research fellow and lecturer at the Düsseldorf Center for Logic and Philosophy of Science (DCLPS). His area of expertise is within social epistemology and philosophy of science. For more information, please see http://cjf.escamilla.one.