Philosophy Seminars - 21st Century Philosophy Problems
Naming the Age: Environmental Philosophy from "Anthropocene" to "Capitalocene"
Guest: Güncel Önkal
Moderator: Emre Şan
The realm of natural existence, whose ontology was altered during the shift from "nature" to "environment" discourse, also poses an ethical dilemma for humanity, which defines itself within the scope of culture and technological pursuits. We have moved beyond the comparatively naive times when environmental philosophy supported socio-economic sustainability. Today, we are in the Anthropocene/Capitalocene era, exposed to discussions about the potential destruction of our planet. The natural sciences now have the responsibility of identifying our era of catastrophes within the context of climate change. This era is characterised by a replacement of human progressive optimism with visions of the earth's demise. Catastrophe extends beyond natural disasters, affecting future society. Boundaries of the current crisis grow due to ruling classes and climate justice concepts. The critique of the Anthropocene epoch, as a philosophical quandary, asserts that neoliberal capitalism has brutally, repeatedly, and extensively amplified this destructive impact, while also indicating the demise of human beings' destructive dominance in nature. This brings the debate to the forefront of humanities as a philosophical predicament. Can the discussions surrounding the Anthropocene contribute to the restructuring of environmental philosophy for the future?
Güncel Önkal is the Head of the Department of Philosophy at Maltepe University and the Director of the Research and Application Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences (MÜTAM). He received his MA degree from Istanbul University with a thesis titled "Thoreau's Philosophy of Natural Life and Rebellion". He received his PhD degree from Middle East Technical University with a thesis on the Darwinian critique of natural theology. Within the scope of the research project titled "Rethinking Environmental Ethics for Common Action in the Anthropocene" supported by the Slovak Academy of Sciences, he continued his studies in the Department of Environmental Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy in Bratislava. Focusing on 21st century philosophy, environmental ethics and philosophy of culture, Önkal is the author of the forthcoming book Ecoparadigma: Critical Environmentalism, Green Politics and Post-Balance Theory from Past to Present.
* The seminar will be held in Turkish. To attend this event, you can apply by using the "Register" button on the related seminar page and receive your event invitation via e-mail. Registrations will be available 1 week prior to the program date (16.11.2023, at 18:30) and the "Register" button will be activated then. Participation is limited to quota of 120 people.