Book launch held in Stavanger

Yesterday I took part in a book launch at Stavanger antikvariat for the book Philsophising with Rocks. Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene, which includes my chapter "Steffens’ early outlook reconsidered-Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". The event featured music, and a panel with Benedikt Jager, me, and Terje Torkildsen, chaired by Jørg Arne Jørgensen. 19 people attended altogether.

Book launch event for "Philsophising with Rocks. Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene" in Stavanger June 10th

On Wednesday June 10th at 18 o'clock, I will take part in a book launch event which takes place at Stavanger Antikvariat, downtown Stavanger. The book Philsophising with Rocks. Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene appeared earlier this Spring, and includes my chapter "Steffens’ early outlook reconsidered-Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene".

At the book launch event, Jørg Arne Jørgensen (KåKå) will chair a conversation about the book with Benedikt Jager (editor), me, Morten Tønnessen (contributor) and Terje Torkildsen who has had a central role in highlighting the work of Steffens locally.

If you read this before the event takes place you can also check out the registration link.

At any time, you can check out this link which takes you to a page where you can download the book for free.

Steffens book featured in Karl Alber Verlag Spring catalogue

The book Philosophising with rocks: Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene (which you can buy, or download for free here) which features my chapter "Steffen´s early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene", is featured in the Spring catalogue of the German publishing house Karl Alber Verlag.

Paper "What Characterizes a More-than-Human Phenomenology Suitable for the Anthropocene?" presented at NOSP 2026 in Tampere, Finland

Today I have presented my paper «What Characterizes a More-than-Human Phenomenology Suitable for the Anthropocene?» at the 22nd annual conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP). The conference, which has the theme “Phenomenology in the Anthropocene”, takes place at Tampere University, Finland, April 22-24th. My paper was given as part of the session «Uexküll’s Environments and Lifeworlds», which was chaired by Erika Ruonakoski and also featured presentations by Katja Tiisala and Niki Hadikoesoemo. Close to 30 people attended.

#29; Philosophising with Rocks received

Over the course of last Friday and today I´ve had an article writing day, with work done related to my book review of Interpreting, Communication and Animal Welfare for Biosemiotics. Also, at work, I received my print copy of Philosophising with rocks: Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene (eds. Benedikt Jager and Marius Timmann Mjaaland), which includes my chapter "Steffen´s early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene".

This brings the number of writing days so far this Spring up to 29, including 20,5 article writing days.

Book chapter "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene" published

The book Philosophising with Rocks. Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene, edited by Benedikt Jager and Marius Timmann Mjaaland, has now been published by Karl Alber Verlag (with contributions in English and German). The book includes my chapter "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". This is the second chapter I have written on the work of Steffens, but the first to be published (the first was approved a long time ago but remains to appear in print).

Reference:

Tønnessen, Morten 2026. Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene. Pp. 83–102 in Andreas Benedikt Jager & Marius Timmann Mjaaland (eds.), Philosophizing with Rocks: Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene. Karl Alber Verlag.

The book is available for sale and as Open Access. See also the chapter on my ResearchGate profile.

Paper «What Characterizes a More-than-Human Phenomenology Suitable for the Anthropocene?» scheduled for presentation April 23rd at NoSP 2026 in Tampere

I have been notified by the conference organizers of the Annual conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP 2026), which is to be held at Tampere University, Finland, April 22–24 2026, that my paper «What Characterizes a More-than-Human Phenomenology Suitable for the Anthropocene?» has been scheduled for oral presentation as part of the session «Uexküll’s Environments and Lifeworlds», which will take place in Linna K109 on Thursday April 23rd at 11:30–13:00.

See also the full program and the abstract book of the conference.

Phenomenology paper accepted for 2026 NoSP conference (Tampere, Finland)

I have been informed by the organizers of the 2026 conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP), to be held at Tampere University, in Tampere, Finland April 22–24, 2026 with the theme “Phenomenology in the Anthropocene”, that my paper “What characterizes a more-than-human phenomenology suitable for the Anthropocene?” has been accepted for oral presentation.

Abstract submitted for NoSP 2026, "Phenomenology in the Anthropocene"

I have just composed and submitted the abstract below to the organisers of the 22nd annual conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP), "Phenomenology in the Anthropocene", which is to be held at Tampere University, in Tampere, Finland, April 22–24, 2026.

***

What characterizes a more-than-human phenomenology suitable for the Anthropocene?   

To address this question, it is pertinent to start out with the observation that the Anthropocene discourse is at its core a discussion about humanity´s impact on the natural environment that emerged from geology. At the same time, the Anthropocene has also over the last several years been vividly discussed from the perspectives of social sciences and the humanities. There is a disconnect between how the Anthropocene has been discussed in a natural science setting, and how it is being discussed in social science and humanities settings, with third-person objective perspectives predominating in the first and subjective perspectives prevailing in the others.

In my view, to be suitable for the circumstances of the Anthropocene, a more-than-human phenomenology must meet the following criteria: 

* It must account for human lifeworlds as well as non-human lifeworlds  

* It must account for human phenomena and non-human phenomena within a consistent and comprehensive theoretical framework 

* It must be capable of explaining how human agency can lead to material changes in the natural world, and how these material changes affect living conditions 

* It must be capable of tackling the problem of human bias which appears e.g. in the form of anthropocentrism and zoocentrism, and which distorts our thinking about nature  

I will present a version of more-than-human phenomenology that draws on biosemiotics and Jakob von Uexküll´s Umwelt theory which I will argue meets the abovementioned criteria. The relevance of such a brand of phenomenology is supported by the fact that Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty both engaged with von Uexküll´s work in their discussions about animal lifeworlds. By outlining the main characteristics of a more-than-human phenomenology suitable for the Anthropocene, I simultaneously address key issues related to the nature, scope, and purpose of ecophenomenology.

#43,5

Today I have had an article writing day, with some 100 words added to the chapter on environmental semiotics which I co-write with Jonathan Beever. I also proof-read my forthcoming chapter "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene", volunteered to write a book review for Biosemiotics, and considered a call for papers on the history of climate economics from the journal Œconomia – History | Methodology | Philosophy.

This was writing day #43,5 this Autumn (starting July 1st), with a total of 12,5 of the writing days devoted to article writing to date. According to current plans, this concludes my writing days in November, with a paltry 3 writing days altogether, and 654 words written.

Margrethe Voll Storaas´ ph.d. defence successfully completed; opposition given

The last couple of days I have been in Oslo, in relation to the ph.d. defence of Margrethe Voll Storaas at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, at the occasion of her ph.d. thesis "As Agent and Environment: A Biosemiotic Understanding of the Moving Body within Ecology and Technology through Case Studies in Sport". I acted as first opponent, along with second opponent Kathinka Evers (Uppsala University, Sweden), while Ørnulf Seippel was internal committee member. Margrethe started the day by giving the trial lecture "The ecology of the non-human body in the Anthropocene: Comparing the human and non-human body", on our indication. She completed the ph.d. defence successfully. The day ended on her doctoral dinner at the restaurant Park 29 in downtown Oslo.

#37

Today I have had an article writing day, with some 100 words added to my book chapter "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene» in the process of proof-reading it. 

Preliminary reference:

— in production. Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene. Pp. 95–114 in Andreas Benedikt Jager & Marius Mjaaland (ed.), Philosophizing with Rocks: Henrik Steffens and the Anthropocene. Karl Alber Verlag.

I also did a little bit of work on an article on refugees; and over the last few days I have kept track with the status of Live Better manuscripts (as per usual).

This was writing day #37 this Autumn (starting July 1st), with a total of 8 of the writing days devoted to article writing to date.

See also:

Second Steffens chapter invited and planned for (March 2024)

Involvement in ph.d. assessment and defense of Margrethe Voll Storaas

Earlier this year I have taken part in the assessment of the ph.d. thesis of Margrethe Voll Storaas for the  Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (specifically their Department of Sport and Social Sciences), along with Ørnulf Seippel and Kathinka Evers. In a couple of weeks I will act as first opponent at her public ph.d. defense, which has been scheduled for October 17th (see announcement).

Programme:

10.15–11.00 Trial lecture on the topic “The ecology of the non-human body in the Anthropocene: Comparing the human and non-human body" 

13.00–16.00 Public defense of the thesis "As Agent and Environment: A Biosemiotic Understanding of the Moving Body within Ecology and Technology through Case Studies in Sport" followed by a discussion 

In addition to in person attendance, it will also be possible to watch the defense live on the YouTube channel of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

#32; work on Being and Sign commenced

Today I have had a writing day, divided into half an article writing day and half a book writing day. This included adding some 100 words to the article "Når gode råd er plagsomme" (When good advice is bothersome), which I co-write with Svein Tuastad, and planning for proof-reading of the book chapter «Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered. Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene», which is forthcoming in an anthology edited by Benedikt Jager and Marius Timmann Mjaaland and published by Karl Alber Verlag.

It also included starting writing on my next book manuscript, Being and Sign, with some 300 words written and some plans made.

This was writing day #32 this Autumn (starting July 1st), with a total of 3,5 of the writing days devoted to article writing, and 28,5 book writing days, to date.

#39,5; second Steffens chapter finished and submitted

 Today, during sick leave and on Christmas Eve, I have had an article writing day, with some 1.700 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene", which I have now completed and submitted. 

Altogether this Autumn I have had 39,5 writing days including 20,5 article writing days, including 6 writing days in December when I´ve been on sick leave. December ended up as the month I wrote the most, slightly ahead of August and October, and today ended up as the most productive day in the Autumn semester in terms of words written. For the year as a whole I have logged more than 50.000 words written, which is the second-most on record.

#38,5

Today, during sick leave, I have had an article writing day, with some 1.100 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". So far this Autumn I have had 38,5 writing days including 19,5 article writing days.

By now I have more words written logged in December (despite sick leave) than I had in September.

#37,5

Today, during sick leave, I have had half an article writing day, with some 750 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". So far this Autumn I have had 37,5 writing days including 18,5 article writing days.

#37

Today, during sick leave, I have had half an article writing day, with some 400 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". So far this Autumn I have had 37 writing days including 18 article writing days.

#36,5

Today, during sick leave, I have had half an article writing day, with some 500 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". So far this Autumn I have had 36,5 writing days including 17,5 article writing days.

#35,5

Today, during sick leave, I have had half an article writing day, with some 600 words written on the article "Steffens´ early outlook reconsidered: Nature conceptions of the industrial-age Anthropocene". So far this Autumn I have had 35,5 writing days including 16,5 article writing days.