Geo-societal sense-making

Abstract

At present, only geoscientists utilize geoethics. However, geoethics may have broader, societal use. To illustrate this option, one combines theoretical insights that stem from complex–adaptive dynamics, social–ecological systems, semiotic–cultural psychology and geoethics. The following qualitative framework appears. The human niche is a network of complex–adaptive social–ecological systems, which humans conceive and build to sustain themselves. Human sense-making and practices are intrinsic and non-separable parts of the human niche. The feedback of human sense-making and human practices is iterative. The resulting feedback loop is pivotal for the dynamics of social–ecological systems. Geosciences facilitate the understanding of the dynamics of social–ecological systems. Geoethics supports the sense-making of human agents, such as, currently, geoscientists acting in a professional capacity. However, geoethics is not geoscience-specific when promoting to act actor-centric, virtue-ethics-focused, responsibility-focused and knowledge-based. Therefore, geoethics may shape societal practices beyond professional geosciences. By delivering analytical insights as well as resources for affective sense-making, geoethics may enable citizens to mitigate the challenges to their sense-making that complex–adaptive social–ecological systems may pose. Hence, geoethics may offer cultural references (analytical and affective) when human agents (individual, collective and institutional) are facing the complex–adaptive (wicked) features of the human niche, such as anthropogenic pressure or participatory governance.

Phronesis at the Human-Earth Nexus: Managed Retreat

“…This approach was suggested in recent years (using various terms to name it, e.g., geoethical rational, thesis). It targets to apply geoethical thinking in a broader context than professional geosciences; (see Bohle, 2020Bohle, , 2021Bohle and Marone, 2021). The 2-fold foundation of this approach ensures that [geo]ethical decision-making is guided by insight into the functioning of the Earth System and concerns about the functioning of the society, both under the imperative of "caretaking" for the entire social-environmental system.…”

“…The concluding section, Discussion, argues why these pivots empower human agents and are suitable for a caretaking, learning, and participatory society informed by scientific insights. Regarding nomenclature, (i) the notion "human agents" should be read as individual, collective or institutional human agents/agency; (ii) the notion "scientific insights" should be read as best available scientific understanding including related uncertainties; (iii) the expression "geoethical logic approach" is used to name a particular manner to structure geoethical thinking, (iv) the term "systemic uncertainty" is used to label the intrinsic non-deterministic behavior of complexadaptive systems; for a discussion, see (Bohle, 2020(Bohle, , 2021.…”

Geoethics to Start Up a Pedagogical and Political Path towards Future Sustainable Societies

“…Interacting is understood to be the relational form between human beings and the natural environment [16]. This relationship is subject to constant change, through action and feedback processes [2,16,27]. (3) By "appropriate behaviours and practices" we mean those that ensure a responsible and sustainable interaction between humans and the Earth system (building a house very close to a watercourse or a quiescent/active volcano is not an appropriate behaviour; mining activities that do not apply methods and technologies to reduce the environmental impacts and do not consider societal contexts of mining territories are not responsible practices).…”