Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
June 12-13, 2025
Keynote speakers
Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University)
Pieter Lemmens (Radboud University in Nijmegen)
Bronislaw Szerszynski (Lancaster University)
We cannot, particularly at present, meaningfully consider the human condition without also considering the condition of Earth. Whether we accept the concept of the Anthropocene or not, it is evident that humans are having an enormous impact on the Earth, and the natural environment is striking back. This dynamic raises a variety of feelings and evokes pressing practical and theoretical questions. To address these issues, we invite researchers in the philosophy of technology and environmental philosophy—ideally at the intersection of both—to explore the topics outlined below, preferably by interlinking them. We welcome a variety of philosophical approaches, including new, experimental, or hybrid ones, and are open to combining philosophy with empirically oriented approaches not only from the social sciences. There are four major topics we want to address:
1) The strengths and weaknesses of the concept of the Anthropocene
The concept of the Anthropocene has become an influential, if controversial framework in understanding the profound impact of human activities on the Earth’s ecosystems. However, its adoption and application raise significant theoretical and practical questions. What are the potential risks of anthropocentrism inherent in the concept? How (in)effective is the Anthropocene concept in driving practical environmental action and addressing global environmental challenges? How does the concept of the Anthropocene influence environmental ethics and policy-making?
2) Technologies in, with, or against natural environment
The leading question here is whether the relationship between human technology and the environment can be mutually beneficial, or whether technology necessarily destroys its environment. Can we imagine bio-friendly or bio-based technologies? What does it mean for technology to be ecologically sustainable? Does technology necessarily cause the extinction of natural entities? What does it mean, from an ontological point of view, to manipulate living bodies in a technological way? Can we redesign life technologically?
3) Earth and nature in the Anthropocene
Is it true that, in the Anthropocene, “nature is us”? Does the concept of nature still have any meaning then, or is nature finished, as some thinkers claim? If nature strikes back, it seems that we need to keep working on a definition of nature that is not too dependent on humans. Could the concept of Earth play such a role? Or is the Earth what we have mastered, and to which nature (in the sense of “planetary”, “deep time”, etc.) reacts so vigorously?
4) Human emotions in and regarding the Anthropocene
Our relating to the world is affectively shaped, and hence we are interested in questions that include, but are not limited to, the following: How do emotions, such as grief, anxiety, fear or hope, frame our understanding of the environmental crisis? Can they motivate collective action? What role do environmental emotions play in the formation of techno-optimistic or techno-pessimistic attitudes? Can technological advances help us to reconnect affectively with nature?
Interested participants are asked to submit in two separate documents a 300-word abstract and a short biographical note. Abstracts should be prepared for anonymous review. Please submit your abstracts via email conference@nature-strikes-back.eu.
Submission deadline: January 12, 2025.
Notification of acceptance: February 10, 2025.
Presentation time will be 20 minutes + 10 minutes for discussion.
For more information, see the website of the conference nature strikes back or send an email to Martin Ritter (ritter@flu.cas.cz).
Organizing Team: Martin Ritter, Ivan Gutierrez, Petr Prášek, Petr Vaškovic
The conference is organized by the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences in the framework of the European Regional Development Fund project “Beyond Security: Role of Conflict in Resilience-Building” (reg. no.: CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004595).