The End of the World. Geophilosophy of Environmental Catastrophe
Abstract
Beyond the persistent denialism, the ecological catastrophe is not the pessimistic prognosis of Cassandra, but a merciless diagnosis of the state of planetary health, which is supported by scientific data. It cannot simply be considered a crisis of the environment, as if it were only a process affecting nature; in the age of the Anthropocene, it is clear that ecological disaster is the result, the product, of man’s actions, due to his unbalanced relationship with the environment in which he lives. Its premise is the “calculative thinking” that has characterised Western rationality since the Modern Age and the scientific revolution, from which comes a development model that has now become unsustainable. Only a radical turnaround and an overall change in our way of life can perhaps prevent the imminent extinction of the human species. We should reconsider the Earth as Ecumene (Berque), as a World in which we co-habit together with other living beings, entering into a new pact of alliance with the biosphere. Only a Constitution of the Earth (Ferrajoli), capable of guaranteeing the protection of the environment and the inalienable common goods that are essential to humankind’s survival, could adequately face the challenge of a global world that is destined for catastrophe.
Keywords: Anthropocene, Earth Constitution, Ecumene, Environmental Catastrophe, Calculative Thinking
Downloads
The author retains the copyright of his work whilst granting anyone the possibility “to reproduce, distribute, publicly communicate, publicly exhibit, display, perform and recite the work”, provided that the author and the title of the journal are cited correctly. When submitting the text for publication the author is furthermore required to declare that the contents and the structure of the work are original and that it does not by any means compromise the rights of third parties nor the obligations connected to the safeguard of the moral and economic rights of other authors or other right holders, both for texts, images, photographs, tables, as well as for other parts which compose the contribution. The author furthermore declares that he/she is conscious of the sanctions prescribed by the penal code and by the Italian Criminal and Special Laws for false documents and the use false documents, and that therefore Bollettino Filosofico is not liable to responsibilities of any nature, civil, administrative or penal, and that the author agrees to indemnify and hold Bollettino Filosofico harmless from all requests and claims by third parties.