AutonomousNature� Whatisnature?� RaymondWilliams.NatureisthemostcomplextermintheEnglishlanguage.(Keywords,1976)

� Natureasrational,lawful,logical,orderly.� Natureasresistant,rebellious,rambunctious,recalcitrant.

� Hurricanes,tornados,earthquakes,weather,disease.� Climatechangeasexemplarofautonomousnatureinthe21stcentury.Howcanhumanslivewithnature?

� Needanewethicofpartnershipwithnature.

ThomasKuhn(1922-1996)� TheStructureofScientificRevolutions(1962).� Paradigmshift.� Majortransformationsinthehistoryofsciencetriggeredbyanomaliesthatdonotfitintoacceptedtheories.

� Needforanewparadigmforthe21stcentury.� ChaosandComplexity.� Unpredictability;limitedpredictability.� TowardaPartnershipwithNature.

PredictabilityandControlofNaturethroughScienceandTechnology� Mechanisticscience:17thc.Mathematicsandexperimentation.

� Mechanics,hydrodynamics,thermodynamics,electromagnetism.

� Predictabilityleadstocontrolandmanagement.� Dams,turbines,steamengines,trains,factories,telegraph,telephone,bridges,tunnels,airplanes.

UnpredictabilityofNatureandResistancetoControl

� Challengestomechanisticscience.� Relativityandquantummechanics.Early20thc.Uncertaintyprinciple.

� Chaosandcomplexitytheories.Late20thc.Limitedpredictability.

�  JamesGleick,Chaos:MakingaNewScience(1987).Nonlinearity.

� EdwardLorenz.“Predictability:DoestheFlapofaButterfly’sWingsinBrazilsetoffaTornadoinTexas?”(1972)

ChaosTheory:EdwardLorenz

� Sensitivedependenceoninitialconditions.

� Weatherpatternsarechaotic,hencelimitedpredictability.

�  Irregularityisafundamentalpropertyoftheatmosphere.

� Mostenvironmentalandbiologicalsystemsarenonlinearandchaotic.

ComplexityTheory:M.MitchellWaldrop

� Complexity:TheEmergingScienceattheEdgeofOrderandChaos(1992).

� SantaFeInstitute.� Edgeofchaos:Transitionsbetweenorderanddisorder;stabilityandturbulence.

� Unpredictablebehaviors.� Galaxies,life,ecosystems,economies,societies.

NeedforaNewParadigm� DanielBotkin,TheMoonintheNautilusShell(2012).

� Severallevelsofprobability,uncertainty,andpredictability.

� “Wecannotknowperfectly,exactly,thefutureofanyspecificseriesofevents.”

� Climatechangeisthemostchallengingaspect.

� Whatweneedis“afundamentalchangeinourparadigm.”

NeedforaNewParadigm�  JenniferWells.ComplexityandSustainability(2013).

� “Complexitysciencehasflourishedintonotjustamajornewfield,butalsothebasisofanewparadigm.”

� “Discoveriesofcomplexdynamicsystems,relevantacrossthewidestrange...ofreality—physical,living,andsocialsystems—mayplayacentralroleinrearticulatingourgoalsofsustainability.”

•Howtolivewithinthenewparadigmofchaos,complexity,andtheunpredictabilityofnature.

•Weneedanewethicforthethe21stcenturythatacknowledgestheresistanceofnaturetocontrol.

•Partnershipethicsfor21stc.Interactionwithnature.•Butfirst,whatisthebackgroundandhistoryofnatureasresistantandunpredictable?

LivingwithinUnpredictability,Autonomy,andResistance

NatureasAcPveandCreaPve,ResistantandRecalcitrant� Natureasactivecreativeforcevs.Natureascreatedworld.Creatingvs.created.Ancientterms....

� Naturanaturans(Naturacreans)versusNaturanaturata(Naturacreata).

� Creativenatureasbeneficentgoddess,Natura.� Creativenatureasrecalcitrantvillain.� Heraclitus:“Naturelovestohide.”(c.500BCE)� Natureharborssecretsfromworthyhumans.Butscienceandtechnologycanextractnature’ssecrets.

Hesiod(fl.750-650B.C.E)•Hesiod,Theogony(ca.700B.C.E.).•Chaotic,unpredictablenature.•Chaosasprimordialdeity—theformlessvoidoutofwhichtheworldemerged.Thechasmoropengapthatgavebirthtothegodsandthecosmos.

•GreekandRomanattemptstounderstandtheoriginsofnature,itslawsandactivities.HowtopredictwhatNaturemightdonext.

•Natureissometimeslawful;sometimesunrulyandresistant;sometimessimplytheeverydayworldresultingfromnature’screativity.

LucrePus(99-55B.C.E.)� DeRerumNatura.“OntheNatureofThings.”� Natureasactive,creative,anduncontrolled.� Naturacreatrix.Natureascreatressandperfectress:

“AtlengtheverythingisbroughttoitsutmostlimitofgrowthbyNature,thecreatressandperfectress.”Bk.II,1116-1117.

� Naturalibera.Natureasfreeanduncontrolled:“Natureisfreeanduncontrolledbyproudmastersandrunstheuniverseherselfwithouttheaidofgods.”Bk.II,1090-1092.

E.g.ofUncontrollableNature:Mt.VesuviusErupPon,79CEPompeii,Italy�  PlinytheElderperished;PlinytheYoungerlived.�  Blackcloudsofash,fumes,andpumiceflewmilesintotheairfortwodays.PlinytheYoungerwrote:

�  “Broadsheetsoffireandleapingflamesblazed….”�  “Theydebatedwhethertostayindoorsortaketheirchanceintheopen,forthebuildingswerenowshakingwithviolentshocks,andseemedtobeswayingtoandfroasiftheyweretornfromtheirfoundations.”

�  “Myuncledecidedtogodowntotheshoreandinvestigatethepossibilityofescapebysea,buthefoundthewavesstillwildanddangerous.”

PloPnus(205-270C.E.)� Enneads(ca.270C.E).Neoplatonism.� RootsofNature’srebellionandresistance.� Tolma:willfulness,boldness,assertiveness.� TheOne;theNous(Mind);Animamundi(WorldSoul).� EmanationfromtheOne.� “Theevilthathasbefallenthem[thesouls]isduetoaRebelliousAudacity....Theybegintorevelinfree-will....SmittenwithlongingfortheLower,raptinloveforit,theygrewtodependuponit:sotheybrokeaway,asfaraswasintheirpowerandcametoslighttheloftyspheretheyhadabandoned.”

St.AugusPne(354-430C.E.)� Godiseternallyexisting.Anuncreatedcreatorwhocreatesexnihilo.

� NoemanationfromtheOne.� God’swillandhumanwill.� Godasnaturacreans/naturans.Activecreator.

� “Ifthenweseesomethingabovethisnature,andseeittruly,thenitisGod,namely,anaturethatisnotcreated,butcreates(naturascilicetnoncreata,sedcreatrix).”

JohannesScotusErigena(c.810-877)� Periphyseon(Greek,PeriPhuseos,ConcerningNature),864-866C.E.

� Trans.Gale,TheDivisionofNature(DeDivisioneNaturae),1681.

� God/Nature.Onething,activelycreating(naturacreans),butnotitselfcreated(noncreata).

� Naturecreated(naturacreata),thecreatedworld,resultofthecreatingprocess.

� God/Natureareacreatingprocess.� Butcondemnedaspantheism.

ThomasAquinas(c.1225-1274)� SummaTheologica(written1265-1274).Godasactivecreator.

� Naturanaturans(naturenaturing).� “Allnaturereferstoanactivepowerexistinginsomeuniversalprincipleofnature...inthewayinwhichsomecallGodnaturanaturans.”

� “Suchaforceintendstheperfectionandpreservationoftheentireuniverse.”

� Godaslawful,logical,predictable.� Disorderisintroducedbysin.Bythehumanwill.Matteriscorruptible.

ExampleofUncontrollableNature:TheBubonicPlague,14th–15thc.

� Boccaccio,Decameron,ca.1351.� “Amostterribleplague;whetherowingtotheinfluenceoftheplanetsorsentfromGodasajustpunishmentforoursins.”

� “Nodoctor'sadvice,nomedicinecouldovercomeoralleviatethisdisease....Veryfewrecovered.”

� “Tospeaktoorgonearthesickbroughtinfectionandacommondeathtotheliving.”

RenaissanceCosmos:GodAcPngthroughNature

� NatureasGod’svice-regentinthecreatedworld.

� NaturanaturansastoolofGod,butcanalsohaveawillof“her”own.

� Naturecanbewillful,resistant,anduncontrollable.

RenaissanceCosmos:NatureasaWitch

� Natureaswillful,disorderly,unpredictable,resistant.

� Bringeroffamine,drought,tornados,hurricanes,plagues.

� Naturanaturans:Naturecanbeuncontrollableandrebellious.

� Natureharborssecretstobeextractedbyscience.

� Naturecanbeputtothequestion.� Naturecanbecontrolledbytechne.

FrancisBacon(1561-1626)� ControllingNature.� Extracting“her”secrets.� Technologyhelpsustothinkabout"thesecretsstilllockedinnature’sbosom."

� Minersandsmiths:"theonesearchingintothebowelsofnature,theothershapingnatureasonananvil.”

� Theresistanceofnaturecanbecontrolledandovercomebyscienceandtechnology.

NatureinBonds:Thecontained,controlledexperiment

� Aquestionputtonature;natureputtothequestion.� Controlledenvironment(moisture,temperature,pressure,spatialboundaries);closedsystems.

� Experimenterwhodictatestheconditionsfortheprocedure.

� Objectstobemanipulatedtoanswerthequestion.� Observers/witnesseswhocanverifytheanswers.� Recordingandreductionofdata.� Repetitionoftheinitialconditionsinotherplacesandtimestoyieldthesameanswers.

RobertBoyle'sAirPump

�  NewExperimentsPhysico-Mechanicall,TouchingtheSpringoftheAirandItsEffects(1660).

�  Theoldexperiments(furnaceandalembic)onleftversusnewexperiments(airpumpandbarometer)onright.

�  Likethe20thc.cyclotron;21stc.LargeHadronCollider,CERN.

Pantheism

� BaruchSpinoza,Dutchphilosopher,1632-1677.

� Naturanaturans(free,activeforce)andnaturanaturata(conformstothelawsofnature).

� GodorNature:DeussiveNatura.(Pantheism).

� NatureraisedtotherankofGod;followsfromGod’sinnernaturebylawsoflogic.

� Rational,explainable.� Nomiracles.

Mechanism:IsaacNewton

� EnglishScientist,1642-1727.

� Predictabilityvialaws.� Matterisinertandpassiveunlessactedonbyanexternalforce.

� Mathematicalcosmos.�  Idealspheres,pointsourcesofgravitation,identitythroughchange.

MechanisPcViewofNature

� ArisesduringtheScientificRevolutionofthe17thcenturywiththeworkofKepler,Galileo,Bacon,Boyle,Newton,andothers.LawsofNature.

� Natureasamachinemadeupofpartsthatcanbepredictedandmanagedfromoutsidebyascientistorengineer.Clocklikeuniverse.Godasengineer.

� Mathematicsassourceofvalidknowledgeoftheexternalworld.Frictionlessplanes,pointsourcesofforce,lackofairresistance(vacuum),idealizedenvironments.Galileo,Descartes,Newton.

� Natureascontrollableandpredictable.

ClocklikeUniverse� Modelofuniverseasaclock.� Precise,controlled,predictablemotions.

� Godasclockmaker,engineer,mathematician.

� Godwindsuphisclockandletsittickawayintoeternity.

� Natureaslawful,orderly,predictableviamathematicsandexperimentation.

� Enlightenment,18thcentury.

UnpredictableNatureLisbonEarthquake,1755

� November1,1755,“AllSaint’sDay,”at9:30a.m.� DestroyedmostofLisbon,spawnedatsunami,caused5daysofseverefires.9.0Richterscale(estimated).

� Churches,mosques,synagogues,castles,hospitals,palaces,operahouses,aqueducts&housescollapsed.

JohnGast,“AmericanProgress,”1872

Natura naturans (left); Natura naturata (right). Unruly nature subdued by order, logic, and law

IndustrialRevoluPon,19thcent.:Controlvs.Resistance

� TheAnthropocene.Humanroleinindustrialnature.� Burningoffossilfuels.RiseinCO2levels>400ppm.� Smallfluctuationscanleadtocascadingeffects.� Ecologicaltippingpoints;unpredictability;resistance.

ClimateChangeasaplanetaryproblem,20thand21stcenturies

� ClimatechangeasNaturanaturans;natureresisting.� Endangeredspecies,biodiversity,planetaryhealth.� Canscientists,socialscientists,politicians,andcitizensworktogethertosolveplanetaryproblems?

AutonomousNature� Twenty-firstcentury:Wearelivingwithinanewparadigminwhichnatureisautonomousandresistant.

� Active,creative,oftenuncontrollable;Naturanaturans.� Characterizedbyseverallevelsofunpredictability,limitedpredictability,anddegreesofforecasting.

� Wemustfindnewwaystolivewithinautonomousnature,tostemtheeffectsofclimatechange.

� Livingwithinthenewchaos/complexityparadigmwillengagethebestscientific,engineering,political,andethicalpracticeswecandevelop.

� Solarpanelsoneveryroofandbicyclesineverygarage.

PartnershipEthics:PeopleandNature

� TheGreatestGoodfortheHumanandNonhumanCommunitiesisintheirMutualLivingInterdependence

PartnershipEthics� Equitybetweenthehumanandnonhumancommunities.

� Moralconsiderationforbothhumansandotherspecies.

� Respectforculturaldiversityandbiodiversity.�  Inclusionofwomen,minorities,andnonhumannatureinthecodeofethicalaccountability.

� Ecologicallysoundmanagementthatisconsistentwiththecontinuedhealthofboththehumanandnonhumancommunities.

TheEnd