The Anthropocene as the End of Nature? Why Recognizing Interventionism Is Key in Coming to Terms with the Anthropocene

In this article, I address and argue against the tendency to understand the anthropocene as inaugurating the end of nature. I conduct two key moves. First, by way of an engagement with the concept of anthropocene technology I explain how understanding the anthropocene as the end of nature prevents us from recognizing what the anthropocene is all about: interventionism. Secondly, I illustrate how a nondualist understanding of the human-nature relation allows us to recognize interventionism as the hallmark of the anthropocene without falling back into the hierarchical human-nature conceptions that underlie interventionism. A nondualist framework that conserves the human-nature distinction helps us in our ability to relate critically to contemporary science and technology in the anthropocene. I illustrate the conceptual narrative of the article through the specific case of gene drive technology development.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Boersma, Keje
Format: Article/Letter to editor biblioteca
Language:English
Subjects:Life Science,
Online Access:https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/the-anthropocene-as-the-end-of-nature-why-recognizing-interventio
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!