Philosophy and the Climate Crisis

<p>This book explores how the history of philosophy can orient us to the new reality brought on by the climate crisis.</p><p>If we understand the climate crisis as a deeply existential one it can help to examine the way past philosophers responded to similar crises in their times. This book explores five past crises each involving a unique form of collective trauma. These events—war occupation exile scientific revolution and political revolution—inspired the philosophers to remake the whole world in thought to construct a metaphysics. Williston distills a key intellectual innovation from each metaphysical system:</p><p>• That political power must be constrained by knowledge of the climate system (Plato)</p><p>• That ethical and political reasoning must be informed by care or love of the ecological whole (Augustine)</p><p>• That we must enhance the design of the technosphere (Descartes)</p><p>• That we must conceive the Earth as an internally complex system (Spinoza)</p><p>• And that we must grant rights to anyone or anything—ultimately the Earth system itself—whose vital interests are threatened by the effects of climate change (Hegel).</p><p>Philosophy and the Climate Crisis will be of great interest to students and scholars of climate change environmental philosophy and ethics and the environmental humanities.</p>