The armed invasion of independent Ukraine by the Russian Federation and its allies, which has been ongoing since 24 February, has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, unimaginable injuries and trauma for those who have survived, and immeasurable material losses. The world will never be the same again. However, amidst these shocking events, we must not and cannot lose sight of the broader perspective, one that encompasses global issues. Another perspective that clearly shows that the world will never be the same again. We are talking about the global climate catastrophe, the effects of which may prove to be just as destructive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This project is based on two premises: the first is that, even in the midst of the fiercest war, it is not too early to think about the reconstruction of Ukraine; the second is that this reconstruction should take into account issues affecting the entire planet, regardless of any divisions drawn on maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project will result in the Ukrainian edition of the book 'The Age of Man: Rhetoric and Stagnation of the Anthropocene’ by Ewa Bi\u0144czyk being made available to Ukrainian politicians, intellectuals, academics, economists, journalists and activists. The first edition of the book was published in 2018 by Polskie Wydawnictwo Naukowe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About the book: The dominant themes in the debate on the Anthropocene are: the shocking, unprecedented scale of human impact on planetary systems; the problem of irreversible losses \u2013 the loss of biodiversity, the loss of nature, the risk of losing the future, the overshooting of planetary boundaries \u2013 and finally \u2013 the dramatic impasse in climate and environmental policy (which the book refers to as the \u2018Anthropocene stagnation\u2019). The book discusses the unprecedented challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Climate destabilisation and the ecological crisis are presented as the most pressing problems of our time. These problems have significant social, political, economic, ethical and existential dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The book demonstrates that the debate on the Anthropocene is intriguingly distinctive on several levels. Firstly, at the discursive level, the uniqueness of the debate on the Anthropocene lies in the fact that it brings together various disciplines within a shared research programme. We see how the idea of the Anthropocene has become a catalyst for discussion amongst representatives of a broad spectrum of research fields. The book also points out that the geological underpinnings of the debate have a unifying effect, bringing people together, regardless of culture or society, in the face of the problem posed by the destabilisation of planetary systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondly, the book shows that, on a philosophical level, the discussion reveals surprising paradoxes that help to characterise the condition of humanity in the 21st century. 1) Humans are portrayed as both powerful and helpless at the same time. 2) The species Homo sapiens is presented as a shaper of nature, yet at the same time subject to planetary metabolic processes. 3) The future is presented as something at risk of being lost, although in reality the future will always exist in one form or another. And finally, due to the central problem of irreversibility, 4) the scope for human action is presented as shrinking, yet at the same time every decision is interpreted as taking on unprecedented significance. We also see in the book how the debate on the Anthropocene constantly problematises anthropocentrism, and at the same time the very fundamental dichotomy between humanity and nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the book argues that, on a theoretical level, the discussion surrounding the Anthropocene challenges many key assumptions; above all, the notion of the linearity of time and the idea of the continuity of human existence on Earth. The debate also introduces and popularises new categories that form a coherent, innovative lexicon (posthistory, geohistory, human hyperagency, planetary boundaries, post-nature, loss of nature, Gaia, climate divisions, Anthropocene classes, climate apartheid, climate debt, point of no return, irreversible loss, Capitalocene, \u2018eternal apocalypse\u2019, Earth\u2019s metabolism). At the methodological level, the debate challenges existing methodological standards in geology and even compels us to redefine certain disciplines, such as historiography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, the book demonstrates how, on a rhetorical level, the debate about the Anthropocene triggers various emotions, such as a sense of nostalgia stemming from personal loss, outrage at irreversible losses, existential fear, or anxiety linked to the eschatological dimension of the debate (eschatology is approached here from a secular perspective). The discussion includes a conversation about a new level of consciousness at the end of time, about a \u2018unique\u2019 and \u2018truly unprecedented\u2019 situation in history, as well as the fact that this is the last chance for humanity, standing on the brink of oblivion, to protect itself from the risk of destabilising planetary systems. Furthermore, the debate can easily be interpreted as a serious warning and a final call to attempt to change the fate of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, the book meticulously reveals the unique potential of the Anthropocene debate, which could make it one of the most significant discussions of the 21st century. In this sense, the book assumes a metaphorical understanding of the term \u2018potential\u2019. To have the potential means to demonstrate the capacity to develop into something in the future. Potential is the capacity to achieve or bring about significant change. The potential of the debate surrounding the Anthropocene lies in its ability to provoke a shock that will rouse humanity from the lethargy of the Anthropocene, and then open the human imagination to finally introduce new solutions aimed at preserving ourselves and life as we knew it in the Holocene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About the author: Prof. Ewa Bi\u0144czyk, PhD, works at the Department of Practical Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru\u0144. Her research focuses on contemporary environmental philosophy, the philosophical foundations of degrowth economics, the philosophy of science, studies on science and technology, and controversies in science. She is a member of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN), the Forecasting Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), the Expert Council of the Climate Coalition, and the Council of the Climate Education Foundation. She collaborates with the Student Aid Fund Foundation (ecoCoalition for ecoUniversities). She is the author of the books: The Sociology of Knowledge in the Bible (Nomos 2003), The Image That Enslaves Us (Universitas 2007), Technoscience in the Risk Society (UMK 2012), and The Age of Man. Rhetoric and the Stagnation of the Anthropocene (PWN 2018). Ewa Bi\u0144czyk is also a co-author of the work 'Modelling Technoscience and Nanotechnology Assessment’ (Peter Lang 2014), co-editor of the anthology 'Studies on Science and Technology’ (UMK 2014) and 'Horizons of Constructivism: Inspirations, Perspectives, Future’ (UMK 2015). She was a fellow of the Foundation for Polish Science (2005) and the Fulbright Foundation (2006\u20132007), and a recipient of the Polityka weekly\u2019s \u2018Stay with Us\u2019 scholarship (2010). In the winter semester of 2016, she worked as a visiting scholar at Harvard University (Department of History of Science). In August 2021, she co-led a seminar at the European Forum in Alpbach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keywords: Anthropocene, rhetoric, climate catastrophe, planetary environmental crisis, planetary boundaries, environmental philosophy, climate deadlock, stagnation\/inaction, loss of nature, post-nature, the end of time, point of no return, risk of losing the future, climate denial\/scepticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The author has transferred the copyright for the Ukrainian edition of the book to the Association free of charge. The translation and editing are due to be completed in August, with the e-book set for release in September. The book will be widely available free of charge as an e-book in ePub and MOBI formats. The cover artwork is by the Ukrainian painter and conservator Olia Kravchenko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funding for the project (translation, editing, graphic design, and e-book production) relies on donations made towards the association\u2019s statutory objectives, specifically earmarked for this particular project. This is because the large governmental and non-governmental organisations to which we applied for grants must spend money according to pre-approved scenarios, and no one, after all, could have foreseen such a worst-case scenario. Furthermore, if anything, they react on a \u2018here and now\u2019 basis, considering expenditure related to planning for Ukraine\u2019s future reconstruction to be premature. We take a different stance on this matter. We would therefore be extremely grateful to all other organisations, informal groups and private individuals for supporting our project and participating in the reconstruction of Ukraine by donating any amount to the following account:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Association for the Support of Research and Conservation Initiatives<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PL 36 1090 1030 0000 0001 4723 9055<\/p>\n\n\n\n
with the reference \u201cDonation for statutory purposes. Project: Ukrainian edition of The Age of Man\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to those who have already made such donations!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The armed invasion of independent Ukraine by the Russian Federation and its allies, which has been ongoing since 24 February, has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, unimaginable injuries and trauma for those who have survived, and immeasurable material losses. The world will never be the same again. However, amidst these shocking events, we must not and cannot lose sight of the broader perspective, one that encompasses global issues. Another perspective that clearly shows that the world will never be the same again. We are talking about the global climate catastrophe, the effects of which may prove to be just as destructive. This project is based on two premises: the first is that, even in the midst of the fiercest war, it is not too early to think about the reconstruction of Ukraine; the second is that this reconstruction should take into account issues affecting the entire planet, regardless of any divisions drawn on maps. The project will result in the Ukrainian edition of the book 'The Age of Man: Rhetoric and Stagnation of the Anthropocene’ by Ewa Bi\u0144czyk being made available to Ukrainian politicians, intellectuals, academics, economists, journalists and activists. The first edition of the book was published in 2018 by Polskie Wydawnictwo Naukowe. About the book: The dominant themes in the debate on the Anthropocene are: the shocking, unprecedented scale of human impact on planetary systems; the problem of irreversible losses \u2013 the loss of biodiversity, the loss of nature, the risk of losing the future, the overshooting of planetary boundaries \u2013 and finally \u2013 the dramatic impasse in climate and environmental policy (which the book refers to as the \u2018Anthropocene stagnation\u2019). The book discusses the unprecedented challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Climate destabilisation and the ecological crisis are presented as the most pressing problems of our time. These problems have significant social, political, economic, ethical and existential dimensions. The book demonstrates that the debate on the Anthropocene is intriguingly distinctive on several levels. Firstly, at the discursive level, the uniqueness of the debate on the Anthropocene lies in the fact that it brings together various disciplines within a shared research programme. We see how the idea of the Anthropocene has become a catalyst for discussion amongst representatives of a broad spectrum of research fields. The book also points out that the geological underpinnings of the debate have a unifying effect, bringing people together, regardless of culture or society, in the face of the problem posed by the destabilisation of planetary systems. Secondly, the book shows that, on a philosophical level, the discussion reveals surprising paradoxes that help to characterise the condition of humanity in the 21st century. 1) Humans are portrayed as both powerful and helpless at the same time. 2) The species Homo sapiens is presented as a shaper of nature, yet at the same time subject to planetary metabolic processes. 3) The future is presented as something at risk of being lost, although in reality the future will always exist in one form or another. And finally, due to the central problem of irreversibility, 4) the scope for human action is presented as shrinking, yet at the same time every decision is interpreted as taking on unprecedented significance. We also see in the book how the debate on the Anthropocene constantly problematises anthropocentrism, and at the same time the very fundamental dichotomy between humanity and nature. Furthermore, the book argues that, on a theoretical level, the discussion surrounding the Anthropocene challenges many key assumptions; above all, the notion of the linearity of time and the idea of the continuity of human existence on Earth. The debate also introduces and popularises new categories that form a coherent, innovative lexicon (posthistory, geohistory, human hyperagency, planetary boundaries, post-nature, loss of nature, Gaia, climate divisions, Anthropocene classes, climate apartheid, climate debt, point of no return, irreversible loss, Capitalocene, \u2018eternal apocalypse\u2019, Earth\u2019s metabolism). At the methodological level, the debate challenges existing methodological standards in geology and even compels us to redefine certain disciplines, such as historiography. Finally, the book demonstrates how, on a rhetorical level, the debate about the Anthropocene triggers various emotions, such as a sense of nostalgia stemming from personal loss, outrage at irreversible losses, existential fear, or anxiety linked to the eschatological dimension of the debate (eschatology is approached here from a secular perspective). The discussion includes a conversation about a new level of consciousness at the end of time, about a \u2018unique\u2019 and \u2018truly unprecedented\u2019 situation in history, as well as the fact that this is the last chance for humanity, standing on the brink of oblivion, to protect itself from the risk of destabilising planetary systems. Furthermore, the debate can easily be interpreted as a serious warning and a final call to attempt to change the fate of humanity. In summary, the book meticulously reveals the unique potential of the Anthropocene debate, which could make it one of the most significant discussions of the 21st century. In this sense, the book assumes a metaphorical understanding of the term \u2018potential\u2019. To have the potential means to demonstrate the capacity to develop into something in the future. Potential is the capacity to achieve or bring about significant change. The potential of the debate surrounding the Anthropocene lies in its ability to provoke a shock that will rouse humanity from the lethargy of the Anthropocene, and then open the human imagination to finally introduce new solutions aimed at preserving ourselves and life as we knew it in the Holocene. About the author: Prof. Ewa Bi\u0144czyk, PhD, works at the Department of Practical Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru\u0144. Her research focuses on contemporary environmental philosophy, the philosophical foundations of degrowth economics, the philosophy of science, studies on science and technology, and controversies in science. She is a member of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN), the Forecasting Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1700,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-publication"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2577"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2578,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2577\/revisions\/2578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twbk.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}