Editors’ introduction to the Special Section: The ethics and politics of the Anthropocene

In recent years “the Anthropocene” has come to represent a new milestone for human-induced destruction of the environment. There is widespread consensus that industrialization processes within capitalist modernity have ushered humanity into geological epoch bearing little resemblance climatic stability Holocene,” roughly 10,000-year span which all known human civilizations were established. Furthermore, there general agreement ending will devasting impact on Earth's ecosystems, making long-term settlement and global supply chains difficult, if not impossible, maintain. This Special Section aims stimulate critical social theories explore ways thinking acting would equip us humans better respond multiple challenges we face from increasingly inescapable reach ecological disaster. five contributions, names historical moment in must reconsider very category our constitutive interdependencies with other-than-human. Challenging view only possess intrinsic value, Arne Vetlesen calls regard other-than-human beings as moral addressees their own right. At same time, he argues can be considered agents due powers reflexivity, abstraction, imagination, future oriented thinking. These make alone responsible actions. Although at first glance his asymmetric model may seem tension it, Vetlesen's argument resonates Maeve Cooke's call ecologically attuned relationships between other-than-humans, knowledges are deemed principle superior entities ethical goodness determined solely by concerns interests but partial independence them. Nonetheless, like Vetlesen, she highlights continued importance ethically motivated action, leading her propose reimagined, rearticulated conception freedom attuned, self-directing, self-transforming agency. The proposed break decisively ideal sovereign subject it emerged modernity. Yann Allard-Tremblay makes similar argument, urging recognize embeddedness natural world while time asserting capacity reflexive, self-direction; seek concrete one another other-than-humans renewed localized contexts. For Indigenous peoples, this process necessitates political resurgence revitalization lifeways impacted destructive legacy colonialism. case non-Indigenous require far-reaching, transformations relation land they live upon. John McGuire, too, holds onto value self-determining agency, drawing attention its entanglement notions autarkic mastery warning against uncritical embrace technological innovation surest means meliorating vein, Karim Sadek contends any adequate response disastrous situation predicated agent's ability move beyond an egocentric mode being generates, shapes, nourishes self-centered, self-driven, self-concerned perceiving, thinking, acting. Like other contributors, however, views self-reflection crucial agency and, particular, transformative His focus actualizing capacity, involve painful work self individual free kind unfavorable existential states conducive pernicious egocentrism. Hardly surprisingly, many questions toward contributions merely point. include question whether concept societal change inextricably tied belief sociocultural superiority. question—often addressed progress—is central theorizing variety. It conceive progress do simply reproduce dominant ideologies committed imperialist superiority Western A related cluster eurocentric biases. Allard-Tremblay's contribution invites interrogation concepts such self-determination through engagement North American particular What might theory tradition learn engagement? By way learning process, theorists achieve, example, more complex perspective strengths limitations Anthropocene, richer understanding how claims self-determination, rights associated them, could fit nonsupremacist relations insight activism provide motivated, effective thought action cultures Difficult arise, apparent dependence however understood, upon level material affluence maintained exploitation resources. indifference contemporary mainstream philosophy, including Rawls Jürgen Habermas, about limits abundance conceptions take granted. But even self-determining, Cooke involves self-reflective, creative activity evident prerequisites: presupposes, instance, certain education satisfaction basic needs food, accommodation, clothing. prerequisites raise technology indispensable order meet needs. McGuire alerts dangers arising reliance technology. He unmasks ideology possessive ingenuity underlies tendency government agendas reflect priorities monopolists (Bill Gates, Elon Musk) over ordinary citizens. also criticizes pursuit “novel” answers all-too-familiar problems, particularly when valorization habitations Earth comes expense ensuring itself remains habitable. regard, easy counter Horkheimer Adorno's objection Dialectic Enlightenment inherently manipulative, essentially indifferent distinctive qualities matter manipulates. An additional problem close connection unequal socioeconomic power relations. likely advances “sustainable” benefit smallest portion top steep pyramid created capitalism. To date, promised transition “greener” economy served reinforce hoarding scientific technical benefits North, South left serve site industrial manufacturing tourist-friendly nature reserves. Yet set difficult democracy posed urgency need avert Some argue viable crisis part democratic process. contend passed crisis. Rather, task, coupled nature, strong leadership, “top-down” extensive use resources state bureaucracy. antidemocratic position finds support “Sixth Assessment Report” 2021 UN Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change, effectively climate now inevitable falls governments “strong actors” meliorate consequences without further delay—regardless potential or ideological opposition. Does Anthropocene specific implications theories? discern troubling forms anthropocentrism eurocentrism Frankfurt School tradition. While implicit biases always grave concern, remedying them complicated; important already underway respect. raises questions, normative underpinnings theorizing. early relied broadly Marxist foundation diagnoses emancipatory projections. JürgenHabermas appeals presuppositions everyday language use. successors tend either alternative foundations (Axel Honneth, Rainer Forst) variant Rorty's radical contextualism (Amy Allen). sidesteps these competing justificatory strategies presenting discussion open invitation imagine vocabularies articulating those imaginings. Drawing critically disclosive writings, reimagine rearticulate idea freedom, pathways critique. Full Professor Philosophy University College Dublin (Ireland). Her current research focuses anthropogenic devastation scale. Teaching Fellow blends reconstructions ancient Greek concepts.