Philosophy as Practice in the Ecological Emergency

This book critically explores philosophy as a practice. Philosophy is both a process of re-examining the grounds on which our beliefs and attitudes about the world are based, and in its older role, is the deliberation on how to live. The context for this exploration is the ecological emergency: climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and all the other impacts of the Anthropocene, and also our social and political reactions to these. The book examines, from a multiplicity of perspectives, how we see ourselves, and the more-than-human world, and how these views influence our capacity to respond to the urgent and critical issues that we now face. The central argument of the book is that philosophy is both a way of seeing what is going on, and a practical engagement with that understanding. Dr Lucy Weir, the editor of this collection, was mentored by the late Emeritus Professor Barbara Harrell-Bond (founder of The Refugee Studies Programme, OxfordUniversity). Harrell-Bond emphasised the value and importance of a multidisciplinary approach, combining scholarship, policy and practice. This work echoes those aims. Weir's publications include "Fleeing Vesuvius" (New Society, 2011, contributing author) and "Love is Green: compassion as responsibility in the ecological emergency" (Vernon Press, 2019). The biographies of the distinguished list of contributors is included in the text.

Autorentext

Dr Lucy Weir, the editor of this collection, was mentored by the late Emeritus Professor Barbara Harrell-Bond (founder of The Refugee Studies Programme, Oxford University). Harrell-Bond emphasised the value and importance of a multidisciplinary approach, combining scholarship, policy and practice. This work echoes those aims. Weir's publications include "Fleeing Vesuvius" (New Society, 2011, contributing author) and "Love is Green: compassion as responsibility in the ecological emergency" (Vernon Press, 2019). The biographies of the distinguished list of contributors is included in the text.

Klappentext

This book argues that philosophy is as practical as plumbing and what we need right now is what philosophers can offer as philosophers to help us all, our species, and beyond, through this ecological emergency, this climate change, this anthropocene.

This book is about the meaning and purpose of philosophy as a way of, a practice of, responding to the ecological emergency, which includes climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, habitat destruction, and all the associated impacts that fragment, and threaten to create collapse, among the systems that created and sustain us. There are the related economic and social impacts, the fragmentation of communities and political ideologies through attitude polarisation, and the increasing threats to systems by those who seek to promote further exploitation at the expense of attempts to regain some system of cooperation and an attitude of compassion which is at the heart of our survival strategies as a species.

Philosophy has always sought to address questions related both to our place in the universe, and to how to live, given our understanding of our place. Those of us committed to a philosophical life have used a range of metaphors and narratives to enlighten, and to exhort to action, those who would seek to understand what to do, how, and why. Philosophy has played a key role in helping us as a species to respond to the ecological emergency. What, then, is the practice of philosophy, given that we're in an ecological emergency?

This question is the thread, and it forms the framework for the dialogue that runs through the book.

Inhalt

Introduction; Lucy Weir.- Part I. Changing the language.- 1. Valuing the Ecological Emergency: integrating eco-subjectivity after the Enlightenment; Ruth Irwin.- 2. Reframing the Ecological Emergency; What if We are the Emergency?; Kent Peacock.- Part II: Questioning the Ethics; 3. Revising Our Freedom in the Ecological Emergency:neuroscience, compassion and engagement;Jason Wirth.- Part III: Embodying the Practice: Philosophy as Action.- 4. Embodiment and waste culture; Cara Aldaheff and Mark Singleton.- 5. Listening to the Voice of Systems; Paco Calvo and Micaela Anzoátegui and Héctor Ricardo Ferarri.- 6. The Fragmentation of Ecological Systems: A Just Transition to Ecologically Viable Communities; Carl Anthony and Paloma Patel.- 7. Land, Mountains and Waters as Mother: The Traditional Concept of Ajobi; Olesegun Olawoyin.- 8. Stewarship and the more-than-human; Robin Attfield.- 9. Conclusion: Lucy Weir.