Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale
The claim that we have duties to future generations has become omnipresent in environmental discourse. Yet we risk underestimating the grave ethical challenge presented by such moral claims if we ignore the works of Hans Jonas. His influence has been limited, however, by his debateable political and...
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Éditions en environnement VertigO
2020-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/26611 |
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| author | Kerry H. Whiteside |
| author_facet | Kerry H. Whiteside |
| author_sort | Kerry H. Whiteside |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The claim that we have duties to future generations has become omnipresent in environmental discourse. Yet we risk underestimating the grave ethical challenge presented by such moral claims if we ignore the works of Hans Jonas. His influence has been limited, however, by his debateable political and ontological speculations. This paper emphasizes nonetheless the contemporary relevance of Jonas at several levels. 1) More compellingly than many other environmental philosophers, Jonas highlights the tensions between our ordinary ethical presuppositions and the structure of ecological problems : their complexity, their long term effects, and their origins in the momentum of technological choices. 2) Jonas's ontological speculations cast light on another troubling facet of our references to "future generations" : No one can know their values and interests. No consultation allows us to check their preferences. We are therefore obliged to philosophize about the conditions and values that will be important to them. Some sort of philosophical essentialism is unavoidable. 3) Jonas understands that a new environmental ethic must have a political dimension. The goal is to influence the physical and biological world - not just to preserve the purity of our souls. But can we conceive our responsibilities toward future generations without lapsing into authoritarianism ? To legitimate a future-regarding politics, certain forms of popular consultation are not only possible, but absolutely essential. These forms would be inspired more by the theory of deliberative democracy than by electoral, representative democracy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2a7c5c862e3466ebec3e8a5a4a59b28 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1492-8442 |
| language | fra |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Éditions en environnement VertigO |
| record_format | Article |
| series | VertigO |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2a7c5c862e3466ebec3e8a5a4a59b282025-08-20T03:44:33ZfraÉditions en environnement VertigOVertigO1492-84422020-04-013210.4000/vertigo.26611Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementaleKerry H. WhitesideThe claim that we have duties to future generations has become omnipresent in environmental discourse. Yet we risk underestimating the grave ethical challenge presented by such moral claims if we ignore the works of Hans Jonas. His influence has been limited, however, by his debateable political and ontological speculations. This paper emphasizes nonetheless the contemporary relevance of Jonas at several levels. 1) More compellingly than many other environmental philosophers, Jonas highlights the tensions between our ordinary ethical presuppositions and the structure of ecological problems : their complexity, their long term effects, and their origins in the momentum of technological choices. 2) Jonas's ontological speculations cast light on another troubling facet of our references to "future generations" : No one can know their values and interests. No consultation allows us to check their preferences. We are therefore obliged to philosophize about the conditions and values that will be important to them. Some sort of philosophical essentialism is unavoidable. 3) Jonas understands that a new environmental ethic must have a political dimension. The goal is to influence the physical and biological world - not just to preserve the purity of our souls. But can we conceive our responsibilities toward future generations without lapsing into authoritarianism ? To legitimate a future-regarding politics, certain forms of popular consultation are not only possible, but absolutely essential. These forms would be inspired more by the theory of deliberative democracy than by electoral, representative democracy.https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/26611future generationsprecautionary principleenvironmental ethicsessentialismauthoritarianismdeliberative democracy |
| spellingShingle | Kerry H. Whiteside Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale VertigO future generations precautionary principle environmental ethics essentialism authoritarianism deliberative democracy |
| title | Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale |
| title_full | Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale |
| title_fullStr | Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale |
| title_full_unstemmed | Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale |
| title_short | Retour à Jonas : Le défi éthico-politique des générations futures dans la pensée environnementale |
| title_sort | retour a jonas le defi ethico politique des generations futures dans la pensee environnementale |
| topic | future generations precautionary principle environmental ethics essentialism authoritarianism deliberative democracy |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/26611 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kerryhwhiteside retourajonasledefiethicopolitiquedesgenerationsfuturesdanslapenseeenvironnementale |