Ecological Reasoning

What role does ’reason’ have in tackling the catastrophic ecological situation of the early 21st-century? Can the concept shrug off its problematic role in Western epistemology and find a new place and function in dealing with the Anthropocene? In Ecological Reasonings, Kilian Jörg argues that we ignore reason at our peril.

This book revolves around the idea that in order to salvage reason, we must include it in the current move to pluralize the key concepts of Western philosophy - where we once talked of nature, science and technology, we now talk about natures, sciences, and technologies. In the same way, it is time to reconceptualize reason as reasonings - a diverse and multi-perspectival wealth of interactions that can create a vital alternative to the mainstream academic thought. Drawing on a broad span of theoretical traditions including new materialism, eco-feminism, embodied performance and speculative philosophy, Jörg weaves countless voices and aspects together to demonstrate the rich texture of his pluralized vision. The impact of these new reasonings on the pressing challenges of our time can be seen in the sheer scope of these elements, from the role of artificial intelligence to the post-truth society and how science can shape our own self-understanding.

Kilian Jörg is a philosopher and artist based in Vienna and Berlin whose research focuses on ecological epistemology and the intersection of art and philosophy. He is the founder of Philosophy Unbound, a collective which organises regular open stages for performative philosophy.