Scholastic fallacies? Questioning the Anthropocene
| Autor: | Sighard Neckel |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Cultural Studies
Sociological theory History Sociology and Political Science 05 social sciences Environmental ethics 06 humanities and the arts Post-growth 060202 literary studies 0506 political science Globalization Currency Anthropocene Paradigm shift 0602 languages and literature Political Science and International Relations 050602 political science & public administration Sociology Scientific disciplines |
| Zdroj: | Thesis Eleven. 165:136-144 |
| ISSN: | 1461-7455 0725-5136 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0725513621993278 |
| Popis: | The view that we live in the Anthropocene is increasingly gaining currency across scientific disciplines. Especially in sociology this is said to require a paradigm shift in analysis and theory formation. This article argues that such a conclusion is premature. Owing to a scholastic fallacy – the uncritical transposition of the concept from the natural to the social sciences – Anthropocene lacks analytic clarity and explanatory power evidenced by: a normative overreach that erroneously imagines an idealised world citizenry with collective action capacities; an obfuscation of the unequal distribution of ecological pathologies caused by capitalism; a normative indeterminacy concerning modes of redress; and an abstract ecological universalism offered as moral panacea. The article suggests that sociology needs to address the Anthropocene’s heterogeneity marked by contradictory regional interests and inequalities that neither appeals to social justice or ‘one humanity’ nor an escape into a dissolution of ontological differences between actors and artefacts can redeem. To that end, sociologists are asked to undertake a critical reconstruction of the concept. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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