Renewing the World: A Philosophical History of Early Modern Ecology

Introduction

This project undertakes the first comprehensive investigation of early modern ecology. NEWWORLD counters the standard historiographical argument that ecological concern is a recent phenomenon. A key element in that claim is the assumption that the terminology of environmental care is recent: the term 'ecology' was invented in the 19th century by Ernst Haeckel; 'sustainability' is a 20th-century coinage; 'the environment' was used for the first time in English by Thomas Carlyle in 1827.

Historical Context

Yet, these terms that now help to define ecological sensibilities arose from long-lasting debates. The leading claim of this project is that early modernity was a particularly fertile period for ecological reflection.

Methodology

NEWWORLD proposes an innovative methodology to capture the breadth and philosophical substance of early modern ecological debates. It proceeds from present-day terms to construct terminological and conceptual constellations in early modern texts.

Controlled Anachronism

It uses a technique that historians (of philosophy) label 'controlled anachronism', which this project aims to fully exploit for the first time on a large scale.

Objectives

The objectives, subdivided into the four main areas:

1. Environment
2. Pollution
3. Sustainability
4. Ecological Justice

involve tracing a symbiotic connection between metaphysical, natural-philosophical, religious, and ethical ideas.

Expected Outcomes

NEWWORLD will both reveal the specificities of early modern thought on ecological matters and pioneer a dialogue with ecological debates as we know them today.

Main Output

The project's main output will be a multi-volume philosophical history of environmental care in the early modern period. This will be complemented by the curation of an exhibition, featuring 3D models of cosmographical images and projections of early modern plans for ideal cities, showing them to be laboratories of ecological views.

Conclusion

NEWWORLD seeks to offer a new paradigm for the intervention of the history of philosophy in present-day debates on ecology, and beyond.