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Relational Biodiversity Ethics

Project description

Relational ethics for biodiversity protection

The planet is experiencing a decline in biodiversity. Efforts to address this issue are often ineffective due to the limitations of modern ethics in addressing the nature of biodiversity, resulting in weak ethical support for its protection. With support from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the REBET project will develop an approach called relational biodiversity ethics to bridge key research gaps on how the ‘relational shift of thought’ can enhance biodiversity conservation. The research aims to clarify the normative implications of this shift and establish REBET’s foundations for biodiversity transformation. The project will examine the theoretical implications of this perspective, evaluate relational ethics in response to philosophical critiques, and integrate insights from responsive ethics.

Objective

"The planet is experiencing an accelerated loss of biodiversity. Why are the actions undertaken with the intention of mitigating the loss of biodiversity so conspicuously inefficient? One of the root causes lies in the weak capacity of modern ethics to deal with the dynamic and relational concept of biodiversity. The concept of biodiversity is inherently relational, which is why the protection of biodiversity lacks efficacious ethical support. A novel approach, relational biodiversity ethics (REBET), is required. This study responds to this need and addresses two research gaps, integrating two discussions related to the question of whether and how the ""relational shift of thought"" can provide ethical assistance in accelerating biodiversity conservation (BDC). On the one hand, there is an underexamined question in BDC research, how the relational framing of BDC can be translated into normative guidelines. On the other hand, there is a debate in philosophy regarding the capacity of relational ethics, exemplified in, for example, feminist and care ethicists, to maintain the conditions of responsibility and normativity. In contrast with the modern concept of autonomy as a feature of an isolated, free, and impartial individual, relational ethics advocates for an embodied and relational concept of autonomy. The objective of this research is to elucidate the normative implications of the relational shift for BDC and to establish the foundations REBET to facilitate transformation for biodiversity. Three key questions must be addressed: What are the theoretical implications of a relational turn for biodiversity ethics? Can relational ethics withstand the philosophical critiques with the aid of the parallel discussion of responsive ethics and interdisciplinary inputs? And what are the guidelines of REBET for BDC?"

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01

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Coordinator

AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 263 393,28
Address
NORDRE RINGGADE 1
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
Region
Danmark Midtjylland Østjylland
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data