Paradigm Dressed as Epoch: The Ideology of the Anthropocene

Abstract

The Anthropocene is a radical reconceptualisation of the relationship between humanity and nature. It posits that we have entered a new geological epoch in which the human species is now the dominant Earth-shaping force, and it is rapidly gaining traction in both the natural and social sciences. This article critically explores the scientific representation of the concept and argues that the Anthropocene is less a scientific concept than the ideational underpinning for a particular worldview. It is paradigm dressed as epoch. In particular, it normalises a certain portion of humanity as the ‘human’ of the Anthropocene, reinserting ‘man’ into nature only to re-elevate ‘him’ above it. This move promotes instrumental reason. It implies that humanity and its planet are in an exceptional state, explicitly invoking the idea of planetary management and legitimising major interventions into the workings of the earth, such as geoengineering. I conclude that the scientific origins of the term have diminished its radical potential, and ask whether the concept’s radical core can be retrieved.

In a broken world: Towards an ethics of repair in the Anthropocene

“…Anthropocene discourses break down distinctions between humans and nature and legitimate efforts at planetary management, but also arguably obscure human inequality and diversity (Crutzen & Schwägerl 2011, Baskin 2015, Moore 2016.…”

Making the case for a formal Anthropocene Epoch: an analysis of ongoing critiques

“…the environment A related criticism has been made: "All organisms impact the environment, so it is anthropocentric to suggest that we are special" (Walker et al 2015, Baskin 2015 in this regard.…”

Geoengineering: neither economical, nor ethical—a risk–reward nexus analysis of carbon dioxide removal

“…To begin with, geoengineering, like all purely technical solutions, is open to the criticism that it ignores the power relations that inevitably go hand in hand with any particular technology (Baskin 2015). At a purely technical level, not only is the precautionary principle thrown to the wind, but even in the case of a less radical technology, like bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), it is maintained that there are several areas in which our knowledge is simply inadequate to warrant the use of such technology (Fuss et al 2014).…”