Philosophy business 2025

I have just composed the annual financial report of my one-man company "Spør filosofen" for 2025. Altogether I earned 9.309 NOK while I had 1.856 NOK in expenses, resulting in a surplus of 7.453 NOK and a margin of 80,06%. Over the last 5 years, however, the accumulated 5-year surplus is -2.764,41 NOK and the margin negative at -18,09%.

#43,5

Today I have had half an article writing day devoted to the article "Friluftsliv in therapeutic residential care: When staff take youth out to find a way in", which I co-write with Joakim Jiri Haaland in relation to his ph.d. thesis. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 43,5, including 26 article writing days.

All together I logged 4.835 words written in May, the most in a month so far this Spring. For now in 2026 I have logged 14.078 words written.

CCS paper submitted to NEEN26 conference

I have just composed and submitted the abstract below to NEEN26, the NEEN & ISEE Conference on Environmental Ethics which is to be held at Umeå University, Sweden, October 14-16th. The conference is organised by Nordic Environmental Ethics Network (NEEN) in collaboration with International Society for Environmental Ethics (European section) .

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The ethical case against Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)  

CCS has become increasingly central as a proposed mitigation measure. The Net Zero goal presupposes Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), which may involve the use of so-called negative emission technologies (NETs), which in turn in some cases involve Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The Net Zero goal has arguably been misappropriated by fossil fuel interests to promote an agenda that seeks to avoid rapidly phasing out fossil fuels. It is commonly claimed that CCS is a necessity. But CCS as practiced to date has actually been found to be net CO2 additive. While emission reductions from CCS are often uncertain, research confirms that CCS mitigation measures have resulted in mitigation deterrence and climate delay. Regrettably, CCS has not triggered much debate in climate ethics, where anthropocentric perspectives – somewhat surprisingly – predominate. In ethical discussions about CCS, interspecies justice is particularly relevant in two ways: Firstly, in so far as CCS policies contribute to allowing continued greenhouse gas emissions and an overshoot in emissions, this will contribute to exacerbate the impact of climate change, including for non-humans. Secondly, in so far as non-humans are harmfully affected by the transportation of CO2 and long-term dedicated geological storage of CO2 in subsurface environments, this is a direct consequence of CCS policies. Lastly, while future generations is a common concern in environmental ethics, this perspective have not received much attention in the context of CCS. With its required time horizon of at least 10,000 years for underground CO2 storages, CCS is a perfect example of intergenerational externalization of costs in a climate change context. This arguably makes CCS unacceptable from the perspective of intergenerational justice and fairness. In this context, the lack of consensus among researchers on what CO2 leakage rates are acceptable is especially concerning.

#43

Today I have had an article writing day, with some 1.000 words added to my article "Prolegomena to lifeworld-oriented studies of contested climate pasts and futures", which is aimed for a special issue of Journal of Cognitive Historiography about "Cognition and Evolution in Historical and Social Research". This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 43, including 25,5 article writing days.

Google scholar: 1600+ citations

According to my Google Scholar profile my research has to date attracted a total of 1.612 citations (+18 since April 30th). This includes 177 citations in 2025 (+5 since April 30tht) and 64 citations so far in 2026 (+13 since April 30th). My h-index remains 22 and my i10-index 46.

This means that I have now passed 1.600 citations. As for my Google Scholar history, on Google´s count I passed 1.000 citations in December 2023, 1.100 citations in April 2024, 1.200 citations in September 2024, 1.300 citations in January 2025, 1.400 citations in June 2025, and 1.500 citations in December 2025. For a detailed history further back (100-1000 citations, achieved 2016-2023), see my 2023 blog post "Google Scholar: 1000 citations; updated Google Scholar history".

Ethics event chaired at Wonderful World festival; attended by 100+

Today, during the first day of Wonderful World – den nordiske festivalen for filosofi og vitenskap, held for the fourth year in Stavanger, Norway, I chaired the event «Når butikken trumfer etikken», with Mathea Slåttholm Sagdahl (University of Oslo), Peder Skjelbred (University of Oslo) og Espen Gamlund (University of Bergen) in the panel on stage. Some 113 people attended.

#42

Today I have had half a book writing day, with some 100 words net added to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 42, including 17,5 book writing days.

#41,5

Today I have had a book writing day, with some 100 words net deleted from my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. Beyond making some edits in the manuscript, I also went through research items in form of newspaper clippings that I have collected since I finished the manuscript draft in August 2026. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 41,5, including 17 book writing days.

#40,5

Today I have had a book writing day, with some 100 words net deleted from my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. I also spent time organizing in excess of 200 items of researched material, and revising writing plans for the next few weeks. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 40,5, including 16 book writing days.

Annual performance appraisal and work planning

Today I have had my annual performance appraisal in relation to my employment as Professor of philosophy at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies. This included work planning for the academic year 2026-27.

#39,5

Today I have had a book writing day, with some 450 words added to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 39,5, including 15 book writing days.

#38,5

Today I have had a book writing day, with some 400 words added to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 38,5, including 14 book writing days.

Featured in UIS news story on Wonderful World festival

I am mentioned in an intranet news story published by University of Stavanger on the forthcoming 2026 version of the philosophy and science festival "Wonderful World". 

During the festival I will chair two events and participate in conversation with Melanie Challenger (see "Upcoming academic events" in the top margins). I am further a member of the festival´s program council.

Interview on symbolicity of wolves released in Krimpodden podcast episode

Today an interview with me on the symbolicity of wolves (and sheep) has been released as part of an episode of the Norwegian podcast Krimpodden, which is published by VG, Norway´s largest newspaper by number of readers. The episode is titled «Ulvejakta 1:2» (The wolf hunt 1: 2); subscription is required to access it. The interview was done by journalist and program host Tor-Erling Thømt Ruud.

#37,5

Today I have had an article writing day, with some 1.500 words added to my article "Prospective lifeworld-oriented studies of contested climate pasts and futures", which I have now remaned "Prolegomena to lifeworld-oriented studies of contested climate pasts and futures". In terms of words written, this was the most productive writing day so far in 2026.

This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 37,5, including 24,5 article writing days.

Steffens book featured in Karl Alber Verlag Spring catalogue

The book Philosophising with rocks: Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene (which you can buy, or download for free here) which features my chapter "Steffen´s early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene", is featured in the Spring catalogue of the German publishing house Karl Alber Verlag.

To chair panel on deep time during Wonderful World festival

I´ve agreed to chair the panel event "Å begripe dyp tid" (Comprehending deep time) during Wonderful World - Den nordiske festivalen for filosofi & vitenskap (taking place in Stavanger May 27-30th), with the panel featuring Bjørn Lindberg, Helge Jordheim and Dagmar Hagen. The event takes place Thursday May 28th at 8 pm.

#36,5

Today I have had half a book writing day, with some 200 words added to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. I also did some research concerning industry news and other news related to climate change and particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS).

This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 36,5, including 13 book writing days.

#36

Today I have had half an article writing day, with some 450 words added to my article "Prospective lifeworld-oriented studies of contested climate pasts and futures". This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 36, including 23,5 article writing days.

Member of The Academy of Sciences in Stavanger

I have been notified that I have been appointed as a member of The Academy of Sciences in Stavanger (Vitenskapsakademiet i Stavanger) - after having been nominated some weeks ago. The academy was established in 2004 (cf. news story in Norwegian).

Bachelor supervision completed

Today I have completed this Spring semester´s bachelor supervision here at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies, with six students in bachelor in social work (BSO) writing a total of five bachelor theses supervised over four supervision sessions each.

#35,5

Today I have had half a book writing day devoted to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic, with various work done including organising files to be submitted, making endorsement suggestions, and revising Acknowledgements. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 35,5, including 12,5 book writing days.

#35

Today I have had a book writing day, with most of it devoted to my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. Specifically, I did some research concerning industry news and other news related to climate change and particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS), and also added some 200 words to the manuscript. Moreover, I rethought and updated the timeline for my long-term writing plan concerning my next scientific monograph, Being and Sign.

This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 35, including 12 book writing days. 

#34

Today I have had a book writing day devoted to revising the manuscript of my scientific monograph Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism which is forthcoming with Bloomsbury Academic. In the process I added some 250 words to the manuscript. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 34, including 11 book writing days.

Participating in two events during Wonderful World 2026

I have agreed to take part in two events during this year´s Wonderful World – den nordiske festivalen for filosofi og vitenskap, which is to take place in Stavanger May 27-30th.

Wednesday May 27th: Chairing the event "Når butikken trumfer etikken" at Scene 2, 17:00–18:00. Features Mathea Slåttholm Sagdahl, Espen Gamlund and Peder Skjelbred.

Thursday May 27th: Taking part in the event «Returning to  animal – the true human condition» at Scene 2, 15.30-16.30, featuring Melanie Challenger (I am not mentioned online yet).

#33; peer-review of CCS and climate book received

Today I´ve had what ended up as half an article writing day and half a book writing day, upon receiving, at last, the peer-review of my book manuscript Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism from Bloomsbury Academic. I have today reworked writing plans for May and June considering the revision work I will now start with. Moreover, I did a little work on my book review of Interpreting, Communication and Animal Welfare for Biosemiotics.

This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 33, including 23 article writing days and 10 book writing days.

#32

Today I´ve had half an article writing day, with some 300 words added to the manuscript of my article "Prospective lifeworld-oriented studies of contested climate pasts and futures". This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 32, including 22,5 article writing days.

#31,5

Today I´ve had half a book writing day, with some research done concerning industry news and other news related to climate change and particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS), as well as some reading done, in preparation for my forthcoming book Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 31,5, including 9,5 book writing days.