AUTHOR=Schwenkenbecher Anne , Hewitt Chad L. , Heesen Remco , Campbell Marnie L. , Fritsch Oliver , Knight Andrew T. , Nash Erin TITLE=Epistemology of ignorance: the contribution of philosophy to the science-policy interface of marine biosecurity JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science VOLUME=10 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1178949 DOI=10.3389/fmars.2023.1178949 ISSN=2296-7745 ABSTRACT=

Marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from human activity, yet successful management relies on knowledge. The evidence-based policy (EBP) approach has been promoted on the grounds that it provides greater transparency and consistency by relying on ‘high quality’ information. However, EBP also creates epistemic responsibilities. Decision-making where limited or no empirical evidence exists, such as is often the case in marine systems, creates epistemic obligations for new information acquisition. We argue that philosophical approaches can inform the science-policy interface. Using marine biosecurity examples, we specifically examine the epistemic challenges in the acquisition and acceptance of evidence to inform policy, discussing epistemic due care and biases in consideration of evidence.