Part 1: Disorientation 1. In Praise of Bewilderment 2. Foundations: God and Nature 3. The Shape of Our Crisis Part 2: Five Philosophical Innovations 4. Plato: Epistocracy 5. Augustine: Love 6. Descartes: The Technosphere 7.Spinoza: Diversity in Unity 8. Hegel: Rights Part 3: Reorientation 9. Anthropocene Monism
Byron Williston is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. He is the author of The Ethics of Climate Change: An Introduction (Routledge, 2018).
"Fearing the state of being ‘lost in the world we have made,’
Williston roams far and wide for reference points in a time of
bewildering climatic upheaval. With grand, Harari-like sweeps, this
insightful romp through philosophy, literature, ecology, and
technology displays the creative boldness the times demand." --
Christopher J. Preston, University of Montana, Missoula. Author of
The Synthetic Age: Outdesigning Evolution, Resurrecting Species and
Reengineering our World."An accessible and engaging analysis of the
ways in which the climate crisis is analogous to other,
historically significant ‘traumas.’ This is a vitally important
topic, and I applaud Williston for his creative approach to
bringing its philosophical aspects to a broad readership." --
Steven Nadler, William H. Hay II Professor of Philosophy,
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Author of Think Least of Death:
Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die."This lucid analysis of the
crisis in Western thinking generated by climate change shows how
previous historical disruptions have led to the kind of innovations
in thought that we now urgently need. It should be read carefully
by anyone wondering how to think and act in our new Anthropocene
circumstances." -- Simon Dalby, Balsillie School of International
Affairs. Author of Anthropocene Geopolitics: Globalization,
Security, Sustainability."A timely, accessible, smart, and informed
discussion of the climate crisis, and our disorienting exit from
the Holocene. Williston shows why philosophy matters in these
times, how it can be done with passion and rigour, and what wisdom
looks like for all of us worried about the future of life." -- Todd
Dufresne, Lakehead University. Author of The Democracy of
Suffering: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, Philosophy in the
Anthropocene.
"Fearing the state of being ‘lost in the world we have made,’
Williston roams far and wide for reference points in a time of
bewildering climatic upheaval. With grand, Harari-like sweeps, this
insightful romp through philosophy, literature, ecology, and
technology displays the creative boldness the times demand." --
Christopher J. Preston, University of Montana, Missoula. Author of
The Synthetic Age: Outdesigning Evolution, Resurrecting Species and
Reengineering our World."An accessible and engaging analysis of the
ways in which the climate crisis is analogous to other,
historically significant ‘traumas.’ This is a vitally important
topic, and I applaud Williston for his creative approach to
bringing its philosophical aspects to a broad readership." --
Steven Nadler, William H. Hay II Professor of Philosophy,
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Author of Think Least of Death:
Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die."This lucid analysis of the
crisis in Western thinking generated by climate change shows how
previous historical disruptions have led to the kind of innovations
in thought that we now urgently need. It should be read carefully
by anyone wondering how to think and act in our new Anthropocene
circumstances." -- Simon Dalby, Balsillie School of International
Affairs. Author of Anthropocene Geopolitics: Globalization,
Security, Sustainability."A timely, accessible, smart, and informed
discussion of the climate crisis, and our disorienting exit from
the Holocene. Williston shows why philosophy matters in these
times, how it can be done with passion and rigour, and what wisdom
looks like for all of us worried about the future of life." -- Todd
Dufresne, Lakehead University. Author of The Democracy of
Suffering: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, Philosophy in the
Anthropocene."An intriguing examination of five philosophers and
the current climate crisis… Williston proposes that human beings
can look to the history of philosophy to find 'a new orientation
and sense of energy' - as well as the long-term, big-picture
thinking that’s needed now and far into the future… Although the
text explores a number of complex scientific, technological and
philosophical topics, Williston succeeds in making his arguments
cohesive and accessible." -- Kirkus Reviews
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