Philosophy and ecological crisis

Ullrich Melle

pp. 171-191

in: Mano Daniel, Lester Embree (eds), Phenomenology of the cultural disciplines, Berlin, Springer, 1994

Abstract

Humankind is caught in an escalating spiral of ecological, social and cultural destruction, of material and spiritual deprivation, and of a cancerous homogenization and "uglification" of the human life-worlds. Cancer and addiction are the universal metaphors of our time—cancerous, deadly growth and addiction to a suicidal and alienating life-style. Philosophy can not remain indifferent to this unprecedented ecological and cultural crisis. However, as Heidegger says, "it is in the very nature of philosophy never to make things easier but only more difficult." A philosophy of the ecological crisis has to sail between the Scylla of easy answers and authoritative solutions on the one hand and the Charybdis of increasing the already prevailing confusion and disorientation on the other.

Cited authors

Heidegger Martin