Christianity offers a profound and often misunderstood perspective on the environment and nature, emphasizing stewardship, moral responsibility, and reverence for creation. Contrary to the common misconception that Christian theology promotes exploitation of the natural world, biblical texts portray humans as caretakers rather than conquerors. Genesis 1–2 emphasizes tending to and caring for creation, while Romans 1:20 and other passages highlight nature as a revelation of divine wisdom. The teachings of figures such as Saint Francis of Assisi further exemplify ethical engagement (...) with all living beings. Integrating modern scientific insights from ecology, conservation biology, and climate science, the Christian ethic of care aligns with sustainable practices and recognizes the interdependence of human and ecological well-being. By bridging scripture and science, Christianity provides a morally grounded framework for addressing contemporary environmental challenges, encouraging both spiritual reflection and practical action to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems, and the planet for current and future generations. (shrink)

This essay reconceives happiness, health, and environmental stewardship as interlocking resonance states emergent from phase-locked coherence within and between human systems. Departing from legacy models that define joy as fleeting emotion or economic indulgence, we employ the CODES (Chirality of Dynamic Emergent Systems) framework to position happiness as a real-time signal of recursive alignment between internal oscillations and external field conditions. Under this lens, health is not the absence of disease, but the active maintenance of multi-scale coherence—from breath and metabolism (...) to emotion and social rhythm. Similarly, sustainability is not framed as moral restraint, but as the system’s natural tendency toward resonance optimization when undistorted by artificial input cycles. We simulate this dynamic using Boulder, Colorado as a local testbed—mapping the waste-per-capita (w_n), coherence behaviors (c_n), and lifestyle resonance gaps (delta_PAS). Results suggest that phase-misaligned living—characterized by overconsumption, undersleep, and informational noise—is not pleasurable, but energetically compensatory. By introducing a structured optimization protocol tuned to PAS_n (Phase Alignment Score), this paper outlines a new template for maximizing individual joy, community vitality, and planetary feedback loop restoration—all without asceticism or denial. Resonance is not a luxury of the privileged. It is the signature of systems that remember how to breathe. (shrink)

A mesure qu'ils avancent dans leur œuvre de prospection, les sémioticiens s'aperçoivent que tout est communication, la langue bien sûr, mais aussi les images, les sons, les objets, les gestes, et que tous ces phénomènes constituent des systèmes de signes qui doivent être étudiés en ramenant chaque message aux codes qui en régissent l'émission et la compréhension. Comprendre les systèmes de signes impose toutefois d'envisager les codes comme des structures, puis de recouvrir à des structures toujours plus vastes, dans un (...) mouvement de régression vers la matrice originelle de toute communication possible, vers un prétendu Code des Codes qui devrait représenter la détermination " naturelle " précédant toute culture. Mais si la sémiotique s'engageait dans cette voie, elle ne pourrait qu'aboutir à la " source " de toute structure possible, forcément non structurée, à ce qu'Umberto Ecco appelle la structure absente. Son livre, tout en refusant ce Code des Codes, essaie de montrer que tout acte communicatif est dominé par la présence massive de codes socialement et historiquement déterminés. La sémiotique découvre ainsi dans la dialectique entre code et message les rapports entre l'univers de signes et l'univers des idéologies, qui se reflètent dans les modes communicatifs préconstitués, et elle relie le monde des choses au monde de la culture, qui formalise les choses non pas pour les reconnaître comme elles sont mais afin de les transformer. Après avoir étudié dans L'œuvre ouverte (1965) les structures des langages expérimentaux de l'art contemporain, Umberto Ecco traite ici l'ensemble des problèmes sémiotiques et ce livre constitue à la fois sa contribution à la recherche en cours et le panorama actuellement le plus vaste et le plus complet sur les préalables constitutifs à toute sémiotique et sur l'état présent du structuralisme. (shrink)

Researchers are increasingly trying to understand both the emotions that we experience in response to ecological crises like climate change and the ways in which these emotions might be valuable for our (psychical, psychological, and moral) wellbeing. However, much of the existing work on these issues has been hampered by conceptual and methodological difficulties. As a first step toward addressing these challenges, this review focuses on eco-anxiety. Analyzing a broad range of studies through the use of methods from philosophy, emotion (...) theory, and interdisciplinary environmental studies, the authors show how looking to work on anxiety in general can help researchers build better models of eco-anxiety in particular. The results of this work suggest that the label “eco-anxiety” may be best understood as referring to a family of distinct, but related, ecological emotions. The authors also find that a specific form of eco-anxiety, “practical eco-anxiety,” can be a deeply valuable emotional response to threats like climate change: when experienced at the right time and to the right extent, practical eco-anxiety not only reflects well on one’s moral character but can also help advance individual and planetary wellbeing. (shrink)

Eco-Rational Education proposes an educational response to climate change, environmental degradation, and desctructive human relations to ecology through the delivery of critical land-responsive environmental education. -/- The book argues that education is a powerful vehicle for both social change and cultural reproduction. It proposes that the prioritisation and integration of environmental education across the curriculum is essential to the development of ecologically rational citizens capable of responding to the environmental crisis and an increasingly changing world. Using philosophical analysis, particularly environmental (...) philosophy, pragmatism, and ecofeminism, the book develops an understanding of contemporary issues in education, especially inquiry-based learning as pedagogy, diversifying knowledge, environmental and epistemic justice, climate change education, and citizenship education. -/- Eco-Rational Education will be of interest to researchers and post-graduate students of social and political philosophy, educational philosophy, as well as environmental philosophy, ethics, and teacher education. (shrink)

Environmentalists can make individuals more eco-friendly by dispelling many of the myths and misconceptions about the natural world. By learning what in nature is and is not dangerous, and in what contexts the danger is real, individuals can come to aesthetically appreciate seemingly unappreciable nature. Since aesthetic attraction can be an extremely valuable tool for environmentalists, with potentialbeyond that of scientific education, the quest for an eco-friendly is neither unnecessary nor redundant. Rather, an eco-friendly aesthetic ought to be pursued in (...) conjunction with other efforts to protect nature. (shrink)

The notion of ecological civilisation has become central to Chinese efforts to confront and deal with environmental problems. However, ecological civilisation is characterized by its proponents in different ways. Some see it as simply an adjunct to the existing system designed to deal with current ecological crises. Its more radical proponents argue for a socialist ecological civilisation that should be developed globally and transform every part of society, changing the way people perceive, live and relate to each other and to (...) nature, and the goals they aspire to. Ecological civilisation is a translation of the Russian notion of ecological culture, and tracing the history of ecology and the concept of culture in the Soviet Union, particularly in the 1920s, I will support this more radical view, arguing that ecological civilisation is not only underpinned by eco-socialism; it provides the means to clarify the meaning of socialism generally in a way that accords with deep assumptions of Marx’s critique of capitalism. That this notion has been officially embraced within China establishes a tradition of socialist thought that now has the potential to challenge and replace global capitalism. (shrink)

Since the early Medieval Time people contested theological legitimation and rational discursive discours on authority as well as retreated to refuges to escape from any secular or ecclesiastical authority. Modern attempts formulated rational legitimation of authority in several ways: pragmatic authority by Monteigne, Bodin and Hobbes, or the contract authority of Locke and Rousseou. However, Enlightened Anarchism, first formulated in 1793 by the English philosopher William Godwin fulminated against all rational restrictions of human freedom and self-determination. However, we do not (...) analyze anarchism by the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, but by looking for the best actual approach of Anarchist’s ‘Promised Land’. Furthermore, we follow the footsteps of Thoreau’s Walden Pond experiment considered as a place of salvation and prototype of 19th century romantic’s extreme individualism towards Leopold’s ethics of the land. Indeed, Thoreau’s and later Muir’s concepts of refuges are tightly connected to territorial and temporal bio-regional constraints and imply an internally organized public area based on mutualism and Hannah Arendt’s agape. From these ideas of refuges, Aldo Leopold formulated his Land-ethics that claimed integrity and autonomy of the ‘Land’. His foundation is a prototype of the eco-centric free space version of eco-anarchism as formulated by Bookchin. In order to formulate a philosophical foundation of eco-anarchism we reject Newtonian homogeneous space-temporal conception, preceding the whole Modern discours about authority and state. On the contrary, we adopt the pluralistic Leibnizian space-time from which thinking-humans do not dissociate themselves, but participate as part of the rational infrastructure of eco-refuges. In eco-refuges, citizen belong to the civil society that stays in equilibrium with the landscape and all forms of biological life. Space is the boundary condition of human activity and determines how borders, environmental organization and institutes are sustained. Space has its proper essence of sustainability, unity and integrity. The individual feelings of security are embedded in a timelike tradition and evolution of the free space, while individual particular conceptions of space and time integrate into the social processes of identification with the refuge. Therefore, the creation of eco-refuges transforms the actual world of national authorities into a world of anarchistic democratic eco-regional homelands. (shrink)

Climate change represents one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century. The rising of global temperatures, extreme weather events, melting ice caps, and shifting ecosystems are impacts of climate change. The moral implications of climate change have far-reaching effects on biodiversity, global stability, and ecological well-being. Using the philosophical method of analysis, the study finds that the cause of climate change is the human inability to see Earth as one and the lack of oneness; the ecological trinity (...) in the hierarchy of being. The objective of the study is to recommend eco-onenessism by policymakers through teaching and learning in schools to affirm the unity of existence in the state of being. This philosophy stresses the interconnectedness of nature. Although the study finds that the implementation of Eco-onenessism is challenged by human anthropocentrism, yet it offers humanity a comprehensive framework that aligns environmental preservation with a sustainable future. (shrink)

The loss of biodiversity is one of the environmental challenges facing humanity. It can occur mostly due to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial practices, which have led to an increase in global temperatures, threatening ecosystems and human life worldwide. This study finds that the continuous loss of biodiversity is due to a lack of awareness, and there is an urgent need to increase awareness through Ecological praise. Using the philosophical method of analysis, this study (...) maintains that the implementation of Eco-doxology in our religious places will help to reduce biodiversity loss. Eco-doxology is an act of caring for the Earth through praise, reverence, and stewardship, which will help create more awareness about biodiversity loss and align ecological responsibility with religious duty. Although Eco-doxology has been criticized for relying too heavily on a hopeful view of the future of creation — that God's work of redemption includes the renewal of the Earth it is a theological response to ameliorate the impacts of environmental crises such as biodiversity loss. This study concludes that believers should not view climate action as a political or scientific issue, but as a spiritual responsibility for the common good of the Earth. (shrink)

I argue for the conditions that eco-sabotage (sabotage involving the protection of animals or the environment) must meet to be a morally permissible form of activism in a liberal democracy. I illustrate my case with Jessica Reznicek and Ruby Montoya’s oil pipeline destruction, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s whale hunt sabotage, and the Valve Turners’ pipeline shut-off, climate necessity-defense. My primary contention is that just as it is permissible to destroy an attacker’s weapon in self- or other-defense, it is permissible (...) to engage in some forms of eco-sabotage. Taking inspiration from just war theory, I use the conditions of just cause, reasonable chance of success, proportionality, necessity, and discrimination to both conceptualize eco-sabotage as defense and illustrate the justificatory burden the eco-saboteur must meet. Often eco-sabotage is doubly pro-tanto wrong because it is illegal and involves property destruction. Overcoming these hurdles is particularly difficult because in seemingly bypassing democratic means of dispute resolution, the eco-saboteur seemingly coerces the other members of society by forcing idiosyncratic views upon them. Non-anthropocentric eco-sabotage grounded in defense of animal rights has mixed results regarding the democratic objection just described. I argue that anthropocentric eco-sabotage, grounded in defense of human rights, has the best chance of overcoming this objection, provided a persuasive case can be made for its reasonable chance of success. Passing a reasonable chance of success also causes problems for non-anthropocentric eco-sabotage grounded in species defense, while non-anthropocentric eco-sabotage grounded in defense against animal suffering has a lighter justificatory burden. (shrink)

The "semiotic threshold" is U. Eco's metaphor of the borderline between the world of semiosis and the nonsemiotic world and hence also between semiotics and its neighboring disciplines. The paper examines Eco's threshold in comparison to the views of semiosis and semiotics of C. S. Peirce. While Eco follows the structuralist tradition, postulating the conventionality of signs as the main criterion of semiosis, Peirce has a much broader concept of semiosis, which is not restricted to phenomena of culture but includes (...) many processes in nature. Whereas Eco arrives at the conclusion that biological processes, such as the ones within the immune system, cannot be included in the program of semiotic research, Peirce's broader defmition of semiosis has meanwhile become thefoundation of semiotic studies in biology and medicine and hence in biosemiotics and medical semiotics. (shrink)

Effective climate protection will increasingly be possible only through massive restrictions on freedom. Against this background, some people demand a system change and consider the necessity of eco-authoritarianism to enforce a full brake on climate change. Others see the threat of an eco-dictatorship already partly realised by the judicial recognition of a right to climate protection. The authors analyse the concept of eco-authoritarianism, showing that it is necessary to distinguish between authoritarian measures or institutions and an authoritarian regime. Eco-authoritarian policies (...) may be desirable as a measure with clear boundaries in scope and duration, to protect the well-being of citizens and the democratic systems. Such policies, however, do not necessarily pose a threat to the free democratic order. With regard to the German constitution, the authors show that the law is resilient both against an unhindered progression of climate change and against a change of the political system to a full-fledged eco-authoritarian regime. Neither the constitutional obligation to protect the climate nor the social reality of ecological boundaries necessarily lead to an “eco-dictatorship”. (shrink)

Ecological and livable cities need an objective method to be jugged. This paper is in search of a method to determine the level of livability and ecology of the cities. Examples chosen for this methodology are: DongTang (Shanghai, China); Masdar (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate); Arco Santi (Arizona, USA); Chang Chun (China); Globe Town (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia). The results show that livable city should be in the pursuit of the overall development and ecological progress. Ecological city needs to properly make (...) up for the weakness of city construction under fine ecological environment. (shrink)

This is Part 1 of an article aimed at defending Marx against orthodox Marxists to reveal the possibilities for overcoming capitalism. It is argued that Marx’s general theory of history as technological determinism along with his call for the dictatorship of the proletariat is inconsistent with his profound insights into alienation and commodity fetishism as the foundations of capitalism. Humanist Marxists focused on the latter in opposition to Orthodox Marxists, but without fully acknowledging this inconsistency and its implications, failed to (...) realize the full potential of Marx’s work. The outcome has been the triumph of “neoliberalism,” effectively a synthesis of the worst aspects of capitalism with Soviet managerialism. Here I argue that eco-Marxists should combine humanistic Marxism with the defence of genuine science to revive a tradition of thought going back to Aleksander Bogdanov and Ernst Bloch, and to Marx himself. However, traditional Marxists’ lack of appreciation of the importance of the “superstructure” has hindered even eco-Marxists from developing the culture required to replace capitalism. In Part 2 I will argue that the call for an “ecological civilization” brings into focus what is required: a realistic vision of the future based on ecological concepts. -/- . (shrink)

This Open Access book offers a philosophical exploration of eco-anxiety. As knowledge about the rapidly degrading living conditions on Earth becomes more accurate, the impacts of environmental problems become more visible, and Anthropocene scenarios proliferate in films, television series, and novels, eco-anxiety emerges as a global and socially widespread phenomenon. Given the scale and severity of planetary boundary transgressions, feeling anxious about the future of human and non-human life has become a fitting emotional response. But what exactly is eco-anxiety? And (...) how can we address its adverse effects on mental health and harness its constructive behavioural responses? This book answers these questions by developing an in-depth conceptual analysis of the notion of eco-anxiety and explaining how ecological citizenship, with its focus on hope, carbon sobriety, and courage, can help us live with eco-anxiety. (shrink)

This text explores four books produced by one of the most prominent semioticians of the previous century, Umberto Eco, in order to create a semiotic meta-theory which enhances a multifarious way of â oereadabilityâ and scientifically justifies the dichotomy between the creation of a work of art and its being read, visualized and experienced by the audience. It begins by treating the â oenarrationâ component as one of the main theoretical challenges of Ecoâ s theory, specifically focusing on the concept (...) of time, seen from the linguistic and semiotic viewpoints. The book also explores Ecoâ s text theory, as well as â oesemiotics properâ, representing an analysis of the â oeencodingâ and â oedecodingâ theories. In addition, it exemplifies the â oeopennessâ and â oecollaborationâ between the writer and the reader, as well as relationships between the creator and audience in all forms of art. The book will appeal to scholars, students, and intellectuals who want to have a detailed knowledge of Ecoâ s overall contribution to semiotics, and seek a â oeformulaâ which would inter-connect informational and code theories with the narration method, so as to create what we call â oeinterpretative semioticsâ today. (shrink)

This paper is a philosophical discussion about the link between utopianism and responsibility. It argues that our time demands a strong practice of political responsibility in both organizations and society based on what has been called ‘real utopianism’. It takes as a starting point Hans Jonas’ critique of utopianism. Keeping in mind the horrors of the Second World War this Jewish thinker disconnected the principle of responsibility from the idea of utopianism, and connected it to a ‘heuristics of fear’ – (...) we should be careful with ‘wild’ new technologies, but also with new utopian perspectives. In a second step Jonas’ predecessors and utopian thinkers Martin Buber, Ernst Bloch and Ernest Callenbach are revisited. They show that a fully conceptualized idea of utopianism includes at least three dimensions of responsibility: subsistence, justice and spirituality. I then argue that if one digs deeper into the work of Jonas, it seems that the concept of responsibility in fact implies the courage to overcome a heuristics of fear. This paper therefore argues that there is no need to radically disjunct responsibility from utopianism and that the concept of responsibility actually opens a path to ‘real utopianism’. Such a concept of responsibility can best be supported by a confessionally neutral but nonetheless spiritual eco-humanist worldview that develops a new attitude towards nature, in which (eco)asceticism, morality and spirituality become intertwined. (shrink)

Do cinematic representations of the natural world only put us in further remove from nature? A phenomenological approach shows that nature screened can produce a richer understanding of human–nature relations as these unfold in visual contact. If vision accesses the world in a unique relationship of sight, in which our contact with the world is defined by vision prior to any other interaction, the cinema offers a special setting for a phenomenology that seeks to draw-out the significance of human relations (...) with the world of nature that come before utility or action. A detailed analysis of the opening sequence of Terrence Malick’s The New World demonstrates how the act of viewing positions the viewer in relation to what she sees. This position, prior to action and with the impossibility to act is seen here as an ethical position, a position of responsibility in the Levinasian sense. Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of vision is put here to use alongside the hermeneutic phenomenology of Heidegger and the existential responsibility of Levinas, while subverting Levinas’ anthropocentrism and rejecting Heidegger’s limiting view of technology. The approach taken in this essay, of bringing phenomenology into productive and reflexive interaction with ecology and with film is dubbed an “eco-film-phenomenology.”. (shrink)

Spirituality connotes praxis informed by religious or faith convictions. This can transform the individual and society at large. Christian spirituality is centered on how a person’s relationship with the God of Jesus Christ informs and directs one’s approach to existence and engagement with the world. The ecosystem concerns humanity and relationship with it is invariably influenced by faith or religious informed praxis. The reality of climate change is convincing many people that humankind’s common homeland needs to be treated with care (...) and respect if created beings are to have a congenial habitat now and in the future. This article avers that Christian spirituality can contribute to eco-friendly behavior through re-formation of the behavior of people and emboldening their goodwill as regards the responsibility of all towards the care of the earth. Finally, this research proffers a three-fold model of eco-spirituality - scriptural, selfcontrol, and sacramental approaches to the earth – as a contribution towards stemming the tide of ecological assaults on creation. Textual analysis is the method used in this research. (shrink)

The accelerating exploitation of non-human animals and the ecological crises that define the Anthropocene expose the limits of ethical frameworks grounded in human exceptionalism. This paper develops a unified post-anthropocentric ethic by tracing a conceptual movement from deconstruction to eco-phenomenology. Deconstructive analysis reveals how Western metaphysics relies on binary divisions—particularly between “human” and “animal”—that homogenise diverse forms of life and legitimate their exclusion from ethical concern. Yet while deconstruction dismantles these inherited structures, it cannot alone supply the ontological resources needed (...) for positive ethical and ecological reconceptualisation. Eco-phenomenology offers that reconstruction by grounding ethical life in embodiment, relationality, perceptual world-hood, and ecological interdependence. When brought together, these approaches yield a comprehensive ethic that rejects anthropocentric hierarchies, affirms the plurality of animal worlds, and reorients conservation toward non-dominating coexistence. The resulting framework provides a novel theoretical basis for rewilding, wildlife protection, and multispecies justice, articulating a practical and philosophical response to contemporary ecological collapse. This paper was gleaned from two of my previous large bodies of work – namely my Masters’ thesis: Delinearizing the Insuperable Line: Deconstruction as an Animal Ethic (2015); and my PhD: The Value of Being Wild: A Phenomenological Approach to Wildlife Conservation (2019). (shrink)

Environmental philosophy – broadly conceived as using philosophical tools to develop ideas related to environmental issues – is conducted and practised in highly diverse ways in different contexts and traditions in Asia. ‘Asian environmental philosophy’ can be understood to include Asian traditions of thought as well as grassroots perspectives on environmental issues in Asia. Environmental issues have sensitive political facets tied to who has the legitimacy to decide about how natural resources are used. Because of this, the works, practices, and (...) researchers in Asian environmental philosophy are exposed to being (mis)used by diverse stakeholders and actors to support political ends not related to environmental sustainability. Two processes are at play at the nexus of the construction of identities in relation to conceptualisations of nature: eco-orientalism and ecological nationalisms. This paper analyzes and exemplifies these dynamics through a conceptual framework that distinguishes ideological and socio-technical explanations of environmental degradation. Finally, to minimise the risks of political misuse, five pathways are presented to carefully help curate environmental, philosophical statements: contextualise, quantify uncertainty and ‘uniqueness’, downscale, confront claims with local realities and literature, and collaborate with researchers from other disciplines. Conjointly, these pathways aim at favouring intercultural collaboration while valuing diversity, thus supporting the development and exchanges in environmental philosophy in Asia and beyond. (shrink)

With rising portmanteaux such as Ecosophy and ecolinguistics, a significant trend that aims to blend ecology with multiple disciplines continues to be on the ascent since the last century. The recent challenge to the anthropocentric worldview is a crucial motivation for such blends. With the upheaval of "genetic information," the information system that formerly bolstered and maintained anthropocentrism is now challenging its tenets. The term eco refers to the critical relationships between humans and nonhumans, between microscopic and macroscopic worlds. Ecolinguistics (...) studies the relation between eco and how we communicate about ecological entities and processes. Many studies have revealed how language and communication influence the environment and its nonhuman inhabitants. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA henceforth), for instance, has exposed the role of language in reducing and promoting racism, social inequalities, and sexism. In a larger framework, Ecosophy provides intellectual and empirical insights that can give succinct access to unmuted communications in a more-than-human world by participating in more-than-mammal philosophies of survival, living, and dying. The paper will explore Dona Haraway's notion of SF (an abbreviation for speculative fabulations, string figures, speculative philosophy, and situated feminism) and Gregory Bateson's relational thesis of "double descriptions" to unite 'eco' and 'language' with each other. This will be done by suggesting alternative ways of approaching CDA and possible linguistic renovations (for instance, Prof. S. Veeramani’s notion of relexifying terms to promote environmental sensitivity and awareness). (shrink)

Electronic waste (e-waste) poses an escalating threat to both human and environmental health in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State, which has become a major hub for the accumulation and informal processing of used electronics. This paper investigates the structural drivers, health risks, and governance failures surrounding e-waste in Lagos and proposes an ethical alternative grounded in Earth-Eco-Socialism. Using a critical, qualitative literature review approach, the study synthesizes findings across environmental science, public health, and political economy. It reveals how poverty, global (...) trade imbalances, and inadequate regulation perpetuate a cycle of pollution and inequality. The analysis shows that Lagos’s e-waste crisis disproportionately harms marginalized communities and ecosystems. By applying an Earth-Eco-Socialist framework that blends eco-socialist critique with communal ethics and recognition of nature’s intrinsic value, the paper outlines justice-centered strategies such as cooperative waste management, global corporate accountability, and participatory environmental governance. The study concludes that Earth-Eco-Socialism offers a holistic, morally grounded approach to sustainable e-waste solutions in the Global South. (shrink)

Relational approaches are gaining more and more importance in philosophy of tech-nology. This brings up the critical question of how they can be implemented in applied ethics, law, and practice. In “Extremely Relational Robots: Implications for Law and Ethics”, Nancy S. Jecker (2024) comments on my article “Not Relational Enough? Towards an Eco-Relational Approach in Robot Ethics” (Puzio, 2024), in which I present a deep relational, “eco-relational approach”. In this reply, I address two of Jecker’s criticisms: in section. 3, I (...) deal with the connection of personhood and human identity with relationality, and in section. 4, I discuss the consequences of relational approaches for practical ethics and law. Unlike Jecker, I am strongly convinced that relational approaches can and should be implemented in applied ethics and law. (shrink)

The traditional dispute regarding the existence of God has historically hinged upon the foundations of logic and epistemology, wherein principles such as causality and non-contradiction have proven crucial for arguments both supporting and opposing divine attributes. Umberto Eco’s critique of theism, representative of Western rationalism, assumes a classical logic of universal and timeless validity. However, recent advancements in multiscale thermodynamics, specifically the concepts of Physica Mutabilis (changing physical laws) and Scientia Præteriti (structural time lag between knowledge and the physical present (...) of the universe), could potentially alter the very structure of logic. This paper explores a scenario wherein logic itself becomes contextually dependent, rendering the coexistence of a proposition and its negation (Omnis Verum Simul ) an ontological possibility. Furthermore, it analyzes how this perspective challenges classical logical objections to the existence of God (omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence) as advanced by Eco, suggesting that logic, anchored to a particular set of physical laws, lacks absolute universality. The resolution of apparent contradictions in divine attributes, such as simultaneous presence and absence, within asynchronous causal frameworks is discussed. Moreover, the idea of external forces, characteristic of the Principium Luxuriæ which permits Physica Mutabilis and the dynamics of the entities composing the universe, is posited as a factor that could enable the simultaneity of presence and absence in an entity. Ultimately, while this work does not constitute proof of God’s existence, it is argued that a dynamic universe necessitates a reconsideration of fundamental philosophical distinctions and the very notion of existence under a temporally displaced logic, thereby reopening the metaphysical plausibility of the divine and challenging the limits of a metaphysics predicated upon a static logic. (shrink)

The evolving dynamics of the marketplace, coupled with concerns regarding the finite capacity to meet increasing demands, have led to the emergence of new phenomena and practices. These developments, while heralding significant changes in the perception and selection of products and services, also elicit substantial concerns. Greenwashing is defined as the strategic practice by which corporations create a misleading impression of their environmental initiatives. This paper examines the theoretical foundations and multifaceted nature of greenwashing, identifying key deceptive strategies such as (...) hidden trade-offs, lack of verifiable evidence, vagueness, irrelevance, and false labels. It explores the motivations behind greenwashing, which often stem from the pressure to appear environmentally responsible without incurring the costs associated with genuine sustainability. The analysis underscores the broader implications of greenwashing, including its impact on consumer trust, corporate governance, and environmental policy. Additionally, the paper addresses the emerging issue of "machinewashing," wherein companies make exaggerated claims about the ethical aspects of their AI technologies. Furthermore, the concept of environmental vices is explored, illustrating how greenwashing perpetuates unethical behaviors and undermines authentic sustainability efforts. To address these practices, the study advocates for a comprehensive approach that includes stricter regulations, increased transparency, and greater engagement from civil society. By promoting genuine sustainability and holding corporations accountable, it is possible to restore consumer trust and support authentic environmental initiatives, thereby fostering a more sustainable and ethical commerce. (shrink)

This work takes as its starting point the indigenous world, specifically the Kichwa Saraguro people in Ecuador, and within that, eco-spirituality is developed as part of indigenous eco-religion and philosophy. The method used for the approach is the analectic method, developed by liberation theology and philosophy. Based on the above, it proposes to confront an eco-spiritual meta-narrative that links a collective subject and the Pachamama with another kind of modern, capitalist meta-narrative centred on death. The first meta-narrative sacralises life; the (...) second meta-narrative has money, the market and competition as its totem. Eco-spirituality is developed as a long-standing category, whose persistence is attributed to the collective struggle of the indigenous world. The conclusions allude to a confrontation between the scientific parameters of modern science related to the pseudo-spirituality of capital, as opposed to the biotic parameters of eco-spirituality and indigenous philosophy. (shrink)

Considers that in ecosystem, landscape and global ecology, an energetics reading of ecological systems is an expression of a cybernetic, systemic and holistic approach. In ecosystem ecology, the Odumian paradigm emphasizes the concept of emergence, but it has not been accompanied by the creation of a method that fully respects the complexity of the objects studied. In landscape ecology, although the emergentist, multi-level, triadic methodology of J.K. Feibleman and D.T. Campbell has gained acceptance, the importance of emergent properties is still (...) undervalued. In global ecology, the Gaia hypothesis is an expression of an organicist metaphor, while the emergentist terminology used is incongruent with the underlying physicalist cybernetics. More generally, an analytico-additional methodology and the reduction of the properties of ecosystems to the laws of physical chemistry render purely formal any assertion about the emergentist and holistic nature of the ecological systems studied. (shrink)

The following article was written to honour Johan Buitendag’s contribution to the discipline of eco-theology. Assuming an interdisciplinary stance, eco-theology in general and his work, in particular, is observed from the position of legal theory and sociology. As such, eco-theology is not assessed on theological grounds but is treated interdisciplinary through comparison with environmental law. More specifically, the project of eco-theology is shown to share certain characteristics with the nascent subdiscipline of Earth systems law within environmental law. It is argued (...) that one of the most important of these is the use of norms as an ecological strategy. This is understandable as both the religious and legal systems rely on the norm form to a lesser or greater extent. However, in the legal sociology of systems theory, the shortcomings of norms have been eloquently argued. This article thus posits the limits of norms to eco-theology and Earth systems law as a challenge deserving attention. However, social systems theory has its shortcomings, and a preliminary line of flight away from this challenge is suggested in the shape of Agamben’s description of the monastic form-of-life, where life and norm overlap so intensely that suggestions of a new worldview gain plausibility. (shrink)

Among the many issues being addressed by the global community, the outcry against domestic violence is at the forefront. This is so because it is viewed as a demeaning and deteriorating phenomenon. Within the confines of our society, domestic violence often involves violence against women and children and, in some cases, men. As such, it has been described as a severe issue with significant consequences for the victims. One of the many reasons for the crusade against domestic violence is its (...) association with injustice, whereby the victims are denied freedom from abuse. However, in a world where agitations for inclusive environmental consideration persist, the domestic violence framework falls short of environmental obligation. While children, women, and men are recognized as part of our domestic environment, nonanimals and non-humans are also part of the domestic environment. Still, they are not included in the framework of domestic violence. This paper, through an earth-eco-socialist approach, aims to expose the belongingness of the environment (including non-humans and non-animals) as part of our domestic environment and argues that they should also be cared for in terms of domestic violation. It emphasizes the necessity to view domestic violence against children and, by extension, men as being partially geared towards, if not extended to the domestic natural environment. In conclusion, this paper argues that domestic violence is not only inflicted on humans (women, men, and children) but also on the environment, which is integral to a violence free domestic environment, and thus essential to be included in the framework of domestic violence. In light of this research, conceptual clarification, critical analysis, and a comparative study are employed. (shrink)

This study examines the essential role of eco-innovation in harmonizing ecological sustainability with economic growth while tackling urgent environmental issues. This study uses social networks, resource dependence, and stakeholder theories to scrutinize the relationship among independent directors, ESG performance, and eco-innovation. Based on the data of 4,902 listed Chinese companies from 2010 to 2023, this study reveals that independent directors and ESG performance can significantly promote eco-innovation. This study also finds that internal corporate contexts can affect the relationship between independent (...) directors, ESG performance, and eco-innovation. Furthermore, the results indicate that the relationship among independent directors, ESG performance, and eco-innovation is positively moderated by digital transformation. This study also offers noteworthy implications for corporations seeking eco-innovation performance and policymakers seeking ways to accomplish the mission of carbon dioxide reduction. (shrink)

Based on a discussion of the theoretical contributions of Claude Lévi-Strauss and Pierre Clastres, this article explores social relationships as more than a human dimension. Though strongly analysed by both anthropologists, these relationships appear to involve indigenous societies’ whole ecological and cosmological system. In this sense, reciprocity, social cohesion, and exchange can be understood as material and immaterial interrelationships between entities of a more than a corporeal world. I argue, then, that to go beyond the mere anthropocentric conceptualisation of sociality (...) in a nature good to think, we need to holistically conceive the interconnected levels of trophic, socio-structural and socio-cosmic relationships and exchanges between human and non-human beings in the ecosystem. (shrink)

This paper examines the Confucian concept of learning, or xue (學), from the perspective of ecological humanism. Through a comparative interpretation, this paper attempts to disclose the significance of Confucian xue conceived as a practice of aesthetic appreciation and creativity, emphasizing in particular its function within an eco-centric worldview. The author reviews the relevant concepts of ecological humanism as expressed in the ideas of John Dewey and Thomas Alexander, then applies these as a theoretical framework for interpreting xue and its (...) related concepts and practices as they appear in the Confucian text the Lunyu (論語). It is argued that xue is a process of developing and expressing virtuosity and artistry in the “arts of life,” and that its practice was understood as a direct participation in the creative development of nature. The significance of such a concept of learning for contemporary educational philosophy is discussed in conclusion. (shrink)

In this chapter, we compare my system with those of Kant and Husserl, examining how each of them “sees” a cube. Furthermore, within my system, I completely resolve Russell’s challenge to Kant’s conception of space as presented in A History of Western Philosophy.

Niettegenstaande de tendens van het failliet van het multiculturalisme is multiculturele dialoog niet weg te denken in een zich globaliserende wereld. Taylor, Gadamer, Honneth en Kymlicka hebben een bijdrage geleverd op het vlak van de erkenning van identiteit, respect en waardering van verschil. Wij voeren het argument aan dat bovenstaande auteurs niet ontsnappen aan het postmodernistisch dilemma van zelfautonomie en slachtofferschap. Dit komt doordat zij in hun rationale vertrekken van het afzonderlijke subject en deze situeren in een ruimte-tijd waarin de (...) tijd slechts een historische rol heeft en de ruimte geen actieve rol speelt. Tegenover deze uitvloeisels van het postmodern denken stellen wij het eco-communau-tarisme. Vanuit de vaststelling dat het individu denkt, spreek en handelt in de context van zijn taal en cultuur en dus vanuit zijn gemeenschap, situeren wij dit subject en de gemeenschap tevens in een particulier territorium of het ecotoop. Door middel van Hacking’s sociaal constructivisme, het Leibniziaanse meerwereldenbeeld en het biologische paradigma als nieuw denkkader, structureren wij de gemeenschap volgens een cyclisch en een lineair tijdverloop. Het cyclische waarborgt de traditie van een gemeenschap, het lineaire doet de gemeenschap evolueren naar een moreel betere toekomst en heeft een transcendent statuut. Het eco-communautarisme biedt het kader voor een kwalitatieve evolutie van individuen en gemeenschappen. Het normerend aspect hiervan is de pluriforme en multiculturele dialoog. (shrink)

Many eco-pagans explain their intimate relationship with aspects of the natural environment in terms of spirits of place. Such relationships emerge from a situated embodied knowing that enables eco-pagans to think with place; the ambiguity of that phrase is productive. While this process consists in both using a place as a tool to think with and thinking together with a place, it simultaneously defies dualist reduction. These examples of situated embodied knowing challenge conventional dualist notions and we are led to (...) a relational notion of personhood where the self emerges from a matrix of bodymind and place. Because theorising embodied knowing in eco-paganism pushes us beyond ontological dualism, it demands an embodied epistemology and a model of embodied cognition. Philosopher and psychologist Gendlin provides the former, while my enactive process model answers for the second. The enactive process model synthesises Gendlin's process philosophy with the work of Varela and colleagues, who understand cognition as ‘embodied action’, a process they call ‘enactive’. Eco-pagan practice can awaken us from the dualistic dream that we are separate from the ‘wisdom of the body’ and thus models a strategy for re-embodiment. (shrink)

Safeguarding our environment, which is home to both humans and nonhumans, is imperative to prevent widespread negative impact. The urgency for collaborative efforts to maintain the earth’s well-being is underscored by the escalating environmental crises worldwide. This paper posits that the environmental degradation we witness is significantly occasioned by capitalist practices that exploit both human and nonhuman entities. It critiques the classical free-market approach as insufficient for fostering environmental sustainability. In contrast, the paper advocates for “Earth-eco-socialism, a model it champions (...) as conducive to harmonizing human-nature relations. This model diverges from the capitalist fixation on perpetual material growth and environmental exploitation, which undermines the potential for meaningful existence for many. Earth-eco-socialism is grounded in the conviction that development and social progress must address social issues and environmental challenges simultaneously, through legislation and democratic processes, without compromising human needs. This approach merges ethical considerations with ecological stewardship, promoting cooperative environmental management, flexible environmental legislation, and its rigorous enforcement. The conclusion underscores the imperative of embracing the Earth-eco-socialist framework for our interactions with nature and one another, as a pathway to achieving environmental sustainability. -/- . (shrink)

Eco/logical R/evolution, is the story of mankind, told with words of a great and wonderful subjective odyssey, the never-ending quest; for objective truths and collective Eudaimonia. The author raises the issues; of political weakness and widespread confusion, about logical analytical errors, of which we find many of in Old Marxist Ideology. As a conscious effort, is thus made, to expel the mental subjugation of Platonic Idealism, away from the clenches Aristotelian Realism, and its bastard offspring; Old Historical Materialism. The book (...) identifies, in the works of Darwin and Marx, a wide range of worrying philosophical incompatibilities, such that are clearly found; in their respective theories and research methodologies. We hereby propose; that a New Marxist Philosophy of Science, stands a probable chance; at unifying the Natural and Social Sciences. As the convergence of truths is manifest, thus, it is mapped out in detail by the author, out of necessity. It invokes, a Marxist Metaphysical Identity, for the sole purpose off; presenting a teleological framework, for New Marxist Theory. NOTE: Reader must look up each word in a dictionary, which they see on both sides of the "/" when found in the middle of a word. (shrink)

Entrevista com Júlia Rebouças, curadora, pesquisadora e crítica de arte.

Theoretically grounded in queer death studies and environmental humanities, this article has a twofold aim. Firstly, it explores the somatechnics of environmental violence in the context of Northern and Eastern Europe, while paying attention to ongoing ecocide inflicted by Russia on Ukraine, and to the post-WW2 chemical weapon dumps in the Baltic Sea. Secondly, the article examines the concept of eco-grief in its close relation to artistic narratives on ecocide. By bridging the discussion on environmental violence and artistic renderings of (...) eco-grief, the article hopes to contribute to a better understanding of the socio-cultural responses to more-than-human death and loss, and their accompanying ethical imaginaries and affordances. (shrink)

The ASA’s criticism serves as a reminder that organizations must align their actions with their environmental claims to contribute to environmental betterment genuinely. Otherwise, that will not be a pursuit of eco-surplus culture but a greenwashing culture that keeps distancing the business sector from achieving the environmental semiconducting principle.

Pojęcie gęstości systemów symbolicznych odgrywa kluczową rolę w książce Nelsona Goodmana Languages of Art. Po pierwsze, ma ono wyjaśniać różnicę między sztuką allograficzną (reprodukowalną, np. literaturą i muzyką) a sztuką autograficzną (niereprodukowalną, np. sztukami pięknymi). Po drugie, stanowi dla Goodmana jedyną odpowiedź na pytanie, co odróżnia reprezentację wizualną od innych sposobów symbolizacji, po tym, jak całkowicie odrzucił on jakąkolwiek rolę podobieństwa w tej funkcji. Wreszcie dwie wersje gęstości (syntaktyczna i semantyczna) stanowią dwa z czterech symptomów estetyczności (a więc pośrednio tego, (...) czym jest sztuka) proponowane przez Goodmana. Formalnie poprawna, adekwatna definicja gęstości ma zatem fundamentalne znaczenie dla jego teorii. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest wykazanie, że definicja Goodmana w żaden sposób nie spełnia oczekiwań, jakie Goodman wiąże z tym pojęciem. Jego definicja gęstości może być zastosowana tylko do nielicznych systemów symbolicznych. Wbrew sugestiom Goodmana, nie można jej zastosować do malarstwa ani reprezentacji wizualnej, a więc dokładnie do tych systemów symbolizacji, których specyficzne własności miały być za pomocą pojęcia gęstości wyjaśnione. Wynikiem analizy będzie konkluzja, że sposób, w jaki Goodman pojęcie to definiuje, nie da się utrzymać: jeśli chcemy dać wyraz intuicjom, które za nim stoją, musimy poszukiwać innej definicji. (shrink)

Metaphor plays a central role in changing the architectural process. In order to better appreciate the nature of architectural creativity, generating more positive forms and volumes is required. Exists many conclusions which demonstrate that metaphors plays an important role shaping the design creativity. The aim of this paper is about understanding the exact role of the metaphor in architecture design from the concept of Aristotle to nowadays. Essentially it is the process by which most of the ideas come into being. (...) Metaphors structure our understanding and perceptions. They make our thoughts more interesting and more vivid. There are similar distinct uses of metaphor in architectural criticism, which is often heavily reliant on metaphor both as a form of expression and a tool of analysis. There is a dimension of meanings attached to the various uses of metaphor, ranging from the ornamental view at one hand to the rational view at the other [1].Metaphors role in the ecological design is essential and necessary. Architects use a variety of methods and techniques to enrich the architectural language. This process is accomplished with the infiltration of metaphors as a literary figure. By adopting the models of nature, there is a chance to work more sustainably and produce more sustainable products. Is this the paradigm shift we have been looking for? Maybe biomimicry and nature could be super metaphors in order to develop sustainable design. This paper should take in consideration also the metaphor as a tool implemented into design reflecting either positive or negative reactions. This theory should be explained by concrete examples. The working metaphor in the design process is another important issue to be judged. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that architectural metaphors corporate in coherent ways with architectonic language shaping its functionality. Metaphor helps to perceive things from a different perspective that is new to us, changing and bringing new ideas. Architectural metaphors can be found everywhere also in the Albanian case. It is very evident how metaphor stretches architectural functionality. (shrink)

Although embodied knowing is fundamental to our experience, no previous study has detailed its role in a specific spiritual group. This thesis offers a new model of embodied situated cognition, and develops an embodied hermeneutics which uses Focusing in phenomenological research. I apply these tools to the first detailed ethnography of Eco-Paganism to reveal powerful processes of connection which have considerable significance for religious studies and ecopsychology. -/- Chapters 2 and 3 survey the literature on Eco-Paganism and embodied cognition. Chapter (...) 4 uses the latter to synthesise a model of embodied situated cognition which I call the 'enactive process model', because it draws primarily on enactivism (inter alia, Varela et al., 1991), and Gendlin's process philosophy (Gendlin, 1997). Current research shows that key aspects of cognition are situated and embodied (inter alia, Varela et al., 1991), such that we often think with place (inter alia, Preston, 2003). This raises epistemological questions which I address in a discussion of embodied philosophy in Chapter 5. I then explain my embodied hermeneutics methodology, and the practical application of the Focusing Interview technique, in Chapter 6. My fieldwork autoethnography, Chapter 7, provides an intuitive, felt understanding of life on a road protest site, and is followed by ethnographies of urban and protest site Eco-Paganism in Chapters 8 and 9. Chapter 10 discusses six processes which create a sense of connection to the organic environment, which include the felt sense (Gendlin, 1981) and the wilderness effect (Greenway, 1995). -/- I conclude that a type of wilderness effect can catalyze the emergence of a complex 'nature based' spirituality amongst site Eco-Pagans, while a less intense form affects urban Eco-Pagans. Eco-Pagans sometimes use these processes of connection to think with a place. The processes of connection and thinking with place are fundamental to embodied situated knowing in Eco-Paganism, and help explain many of its distinctive aspects. By demonstrating the importance of embodied situated knowing in Eco-Paganism, I highlight the potential for further research into processes of connection and the impact of different physical spaces on religious practice in general. (shrink)

Various online sites enable users to like this or that by pressing a button: to like a philosophy paper, to like a video, to like a picture, messages, and more. Doctor Lucy McDonald rejects the view that an online “like” means “I like this” or is an expression of a positive emotion. She develops an account based on what she judges to be the social function of giving likes: to initiate or maintain a social bond with someone who has uploaded (...) something onto the Internet or left some message. I report how I use “likes” on Instagram, in case anyone is interested. Instagram allows me to check my activity, including wherever I have placed “likes,” so I use giving likes on videos, by means of a heart symbol, to record anything worth remembering. (shrink)

This study investigated behavioral (environmental risk perception and perceived usefulness of eco-friendly practices) and contextual factors (institutional support, and access to agricultural inputs) influence the adoption of eco- friendly practices and sustainable crop farming in rural communities in Cross River State, Nigeria. This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design. A multistage proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 2,142 participants, of which 1,987 valid responses were analyzed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire containing 36 items across (...) six constructs, with reliability and validity confirmed through expert review, pilot testing, and measurement model evaluation. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability values ranged from 0.84 to 0.95, and average variance extracted (AVE) values exceeded the 0.50 threshold. Indicator loadings were mostly above 0.70, variance inflation factors were within acceptable limits, and model fit indices indicated a good model fit. The results of the structural model of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) showed that while environmental risk perception, perceived usefulness of eco-friendly practices, and institutional support promoted the adoption of eco-friendly practices, only access to agricultural inputs had a direct influence on both adoption and sustainable crop farming. Adoption of eco-friendly practices served as the main mechanism linking farmers’ perceptions and support systems to improved farming outcomes. The findings suggest that programmes aiming to enhance sustainable crop farming should not only provide inputs and advisory support but also address behavioral factors that encourage consistent use of environmentally sound methods. The study is practically useful in guiding agricultural extension, rural development planning, and policy in Nigeria and other regions with similar farming conditions. (shrink)