Abstract

The word ‘Anthropocene’ has been controversial scientific concept, to name a new geological epoch that situates ‘Anthropos’ or ‘Man’ as an actor changing geological structure, altering the Earth system, and also making in unpredictable planetary changes. Criticism of the Anthropocene is based on Holocene's formal ratification rather than the Anthropocene findings. In addition, this paper will argue a realism philosophical approach though that the Anthropocene is not merely scientific speculation. This paper provides an ontological justification for humanity’s causal power in geological time based on Bhaskar’s critical realism and Graham’s speculative realism. This ontological turn will be a ‘new conceptual ground’ to define the Anthropocene without being imprisoned in ‘Anthropocentrism’ and will contribute to other fields, such as social sciences and humanities, to remake their understanding of the Anthropocene. Therefore, the result will be able to strengthen the Anthropocene ratification indirectly.

Details

Title
Questioning the ‘Anthropos’ in the Anthropocene: Is the Anthropocene Anthropocentric?
Author
Rangga Kala Mahaswa; Widhianto, Agung
Publication year
2020
Publication date
2020
Publisher
EDP Sciences
ISSN
24165182
e-ISSN
22612424
Source type
Conference Paper
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2442625039
Copyright
© 2020. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.