Below is my abstract and bionote for the
"Semiotics of hybrid natures" conference to be held in Tartu, Estonia, November 8-10th, where I am one of three keynote speakers.
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Current human ecology
in light of Umwelt theory
Morten Tønnessen
Associate professor of philosophy, University of Stavanger
Umwelt theory is an expression of von Uexküll´s subjective biology and as such it is
usually applied in analysis of individual animals. However, Umwelt theory is
fundamentally relational, and therefore also suitable for analysis of more
complex wholes. Furthermore, depending on the level of generalization, Umwelt
theory is also suitable for analysis of behavioral and experiential dynamics at
a group level.
A significant methodological advantage of Umwelt theory is
that it is applicable with regard to both human and non-human experience and
action within one of the same framework. It is true enough that mapping the
human Umwelt requires making methodological specifications of various Umwelt
features, but in principle this is the case with the mapping of the Umwelt of any
organism.
Given the relational nature of the Umwelt, an organism
endowed with an Umwelt is never truly alone. The pertinent questions when
mapping Umwelten are: What other creatures does this organism relate to? And of
what nature are these relations?
In our age, which many have come to call «the Anthropocene»,
the human species dominates many ecosystems, and has established a manifold of
tightly controlled production systems and resource streams involving or
affecting living creatures in both in-door and outdoor environments. In the
Anthropocene discourse, the debate rages as to what level of human control is
appropriate.
Big picture-notions and planetary perspectives are
important, but so is the subjective animal perspective that von Uexküll
emphasized. To what extent can these be combined? How are planetary boundaries
related to the biosphere understood as semiosphere? Can tipping points, e.g. in
climate dynamics, in some cases be understood as being of an ecosemiotic
nature?
No matter what we conclude concerning such methodological
questions, one can hardly overestimate the effect the human species has even on
wildlife. We affect the experience and behaviour of animals by causing
environmental changes in land, water and air, by influencing prey densities and
the occurrence of natural enemies, and in some cases we also affect animals´
sociality or possibilities for courtship and mating. And towards many species,
we behave like an unsustainable super-predator.
In the course of this presentation, I will apply notions
such as Umwelt transition, Umwelt trajectory, Umwelt aggregate, and Umwelt
alignment, in an attempt to outline some of the most important
characteristics of contemporary human ecology. We no doubt affect animal
behavior and experience on a massive scale both wittingly and unwittingly. To
understand our changing relations to living beings and nature, we must be aware
of the different forms relations can take on e.g. for wild, liminal and
domesticated animals.
BIONOTE
Morten Tønnessen (born 1976) is Associate professor of
philosophy at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies. He has
worked with Umwelt theory since his Master degree from University of Oslo
(2002), and conducted his doctoral studies at University of Tartu (2011).
Tønnessen has published extensively within biosemiotics and human-animal
studies, and is currently President of the Nordic Association for Semiotic
Studies and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Biosemiotics.
Academic (b)log: http://UtopianRealism.blogspot.com.
