The technosphere, our agency, our planet
What can we do, what should we do?
During the height of critical theory in the 1960s, political aesthetics garnered significant attention. A key concept was earlier articulated in Ernst Bloch’s exploration of utopia, namely that the arts serve as a space for examining objective possibilities, thereby inspiring political action in the real world. Even earlier, these ideas were also expanded upon in …
Continue reading "Friedrich Schiller’s theory of aesthetic education and more-than-human play"
In sustainability sciences, the concept of "care" has become fundamental. This notion, which originated in ecofeminism, is understood as an ethical commitment to nurturing our planet and its living beings. It involves assuming responsibility and embracing a broad perspective that takes into account the concerns and vulnerabilities of other beings, as well as their material …
Most people evaluate the performance of the Trump presidency based on his personality. When attempting to categorize it politically, the term "fascism" is often mentioned, as exemplified by the memorable comments from Retired General Mark A. Milley. While Trump's ruthlessness and disregard for the separation of powers seem to support this characterization, there are significant …
Continue reading "Beyond Neoliberalism: Trump’s Era and the Rise of Capitalist Fundamentalism"
Although Earth system sciences have embraced the term "technosphere" to conceptualize planetary processes, its use is not universal, and there are many sceptics. One might ask, "Does the technosphere actually exist?" There is a more cautious interpretation of the term, viewing it merely as a concept that serves specific modelling purposes without making any realistic …
In his insightful book "Gaïa: Terre Vivante," Sébastien Detreuil highlights on page 412 that Paul Crutzen introduced the concept of the Anthropocene precisely when he rejected the idea of Gaia as a framework for addressing the challenges of climate change within Earth System sciences (though this is a coincidence, and not expressed explicitly). There are …
Mapping is a foundational technology in the evolution of the technosphere, linking the expansion of its material infrastructure with economic activities. It is a key theme in postcolonial studies. During the colonial expansion of Western powers, mapping was instrumental in dispossessing Indigenous peoples. This process began with the establishment of sovereignty by colonial powers and …
Continue reading "Mapping as a medium of technosphere growth and nature-based countermapping"
The humanities are in a deep crisis. Worldwide, funding for humanities departments shrinks, and the young generation in many countries, such as in East Asia, loses interest. After all, governments call for strengthening the STEM disciplines, seen as crucial in achieving the nation’s competitive advantage. At the same time, we observe a flurry of humanities …
Continue reading "Why we don’t need posthumanism to get rid of anthropocentrism"
It has been four months since I last posted a blog on this site. Among many other tasks, I was focused on completing my new book "Havings: Steps towards a New Economic Philosophy of Property and Beyond," which will be released soon by Campus Publishers. This book is the culmination of my four years of …
After many years of debates and research, the International Union of Geological Science issued the final verdict: We do not (yet) live in the Anthropocene. This decision, despite its authority, will not quell the widespread usage of the term in non-geological scholarship and public debates. Specialist journals and numerous books are dedicated to exploring the …
In his essential book ‘Indigenous Economics’ Ronald Trosper, himself a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation Montana, explains that Indigenous people often try to neutralize their spirituality when representing, advocating, and reinstating their ways of life in the context of mainstream society and politics. For example, when formulating …
Continue reading "Translating Indigenous spirituality into the language of science"
The technosphere, our agency, our planet 
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