The Values Assessment (VA) of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and E... more The Values Assessment (VA) of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) highlights that contemporary political decisions prioritize economic values of nature while neglecting aesthetic, ecological, and spiritual values. This omission serves as an indirect driver of socio-environmental crises by reinforcing the dominant economic development paradigm that has fueled global biocultural homogenization. To address this problem, we adapt the "3Hs" modelhabitat, habits, and co-inhabitants (hábitats, hábitos, co-habitantes, in Spanish)-of the biocultural ethic that offers a heuristic and normative approach to sustaining biological and cultural diversity. We examine case studies on agroecology, education, and protected areas to illustrate Earth Stewardship and biocultural conservation. Integrating these perspectives into decision making fosters sustainable and just futures, as recognized by IPBES-VA's pathways for revitalizing diverse values of nature. Regarding habits, we provide evidence of educational programs worldwide that promote Earth Stewardship by encouraging respect, reciprocity, and sustainability. These approaches incorporate diverse cultural perspectives, blending experiential learning with ecological knowledge to strengthen biocultural relationships and inspire environmental responsibility. Regarding co-inhabitants, we show how numerous local communities coexist with diverse beings and landscapes, shaping agro-and forest-ecosystems. Despite threats like monocultures, local communities uphold biocultural ethics, preserving biodiversity, food sovereignty, and reciprocal respect for nature. Regarding habitats, we highlight initiatives that integrate conservation with cultural heritage and sustainable development. Despite challenges, PAs play a crucial role in Earth Stewardship and biocultural conservation. The "3Hs" model allows us to understand that every habitat must be cared for, and to put into action IPBES-VA recommendations, such as expanding the range of nature values included in decision making and socio-environmental policies. In this way, the "3Hs" model of biocultural ethics, although rooted in local realities, can acquire global power to transit toward more just and sustainable futures, such as those envisioned by IPBES-VA.
Reimagining Ethics - Ecology and Ethics Volume 7 , 2025
The exploration of environmental ethics in contemporary discourse reveals a rich tapestry of cult... more The exploration of environmental ethics in contemporary discourse reveals a rich tapestry of cultural interpretations that value the natural world beyond human-centered perspectives. This volume contributes to the growing field of environmental ethics by delving into the philosophical frameworks that guide our understanding and interaction with non-human entities. Matteo Andreozzi's work, *Reimagining Ethics: Non-anthropocentric Perspectives on Morality*, serves as a pivotal text in this conversation. It challenges the dominant anthropocentric views prevalent in global policies and ethical frameworks, advocating for a more inclusive approach to moral consideration that encompasses the myriad forms of life inhabiting our planet.
Andreozzi's text integrates historical insights with modern theories, offering readers a comprehensive overview of how Western philosophies and sciences can inform a non-anthropocentric ethical stance. By distinguishing between various schools of thought, from narrow anthropocentrism to broader eco-centric views, the book encourages critical engagement with differing philosophical perspectives. This nuanced analysis is vital for preparing scholars and practitioners to navigate the complexities of environmental ethics in the twenty-first century.
Importantly, Andreozzi emphasizes the necessity of harmonizing traditional ethical theories with contemporary environmental concerns. He suggests that rather than discarding established paradigms, we should build upon them to create a cohesive moral framework that respects and values all forms of life. This entails a commitment to analytical rigor and hermeneutic exploration, focusing not merely on the answers but on the fundamental questions that shape our understanding of morality and our responsibilities toward the natural world.
Ultimately, the book Reimagining Ethics posits that a syncretic approach—reconciling diverse philosophical traditions—could pave the way for a consensus on environmental ethics, fostering a deeper respect for the interrelated web of life that sustains us. This shift in perspective is crucial for inspiring transformative actions toward a more equitable coexistence with our planet’s diverse ecosystems.
The shift in evolutionary metaphors, from the Darwinian natural selection to natural drift propos... more The shift in evolutionary metaphors, from the Darwinian natural selection to natural drift proposed by Maturana, Mpodozis and Varela conveys a turn in worldviews. We argue that the former metaphor retains links with a Modern worldview, while the second, in detaching itself clearly from the notion of progress, is characteristically Post-Modern. We suggest that metaphors represent a key for understanding the links between scientific explanations and the cultural and social contexts in which they are formulated. To explain and justify that suggestion we develop a conceptual framework defining within this commentary three complementary scientific perspectives that have acquired a preponderant role at different times in the history of Western science: Pre-Modern, with emphasis on observation; Modern, with emphasis on the cognitive priority of the scientist's mind; and Post-Modern, with emphasis on the cultural and social contexts of scientific practice. Under the Post-Modern perspective metaphors acquire a dynamic cultural significance as expressions of the worldview influencing the scientist, and reciprocally as cultural messengers produced by the scientist's theories that in turn influence his or her culture and worldview. The epistemological and sociological analysis presented here for the evolutionary metaphors, permits us to recover the link between science (with its ways of representing and understanding nature) and environmental ethics (ways we live and relate to nature, as modulated and regulated by social values and norms). We hold that the recovering of this link between science and ethics has both theoretical and practical value at the present time when ecologists are simultaneously involved in a kind of Kuhnian scientific revolution, and facing a major environmental crisis that calls for a cultural transformation.
To contribute to achieving local and global sustainability, we propose a novel educational method... more To contribute to achieving local and global sustainability, we propose a novel educational methodology, called field environmental philosophy (FEP), which orients ecotourism practices to reconnect citizens and nature. FEP is based on the systemic approach of the biocultural ethic that values the vital links among the life habits of co-inhabitants (humans and other-than-humans) who share a common habitat. Based on this “3Hs” model (habitats, co-inhabitants, habits), FEP combines tourism with experiential education to reorient biocultural homogenization toward biocultural conservation. FEP’s methodological approach seeks to integrate social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability by generating new links between biological and cultural diversity at different spatial and social scales. Ecotourism has an underutilized potential to link sciences with education and conservation practices at different scales. By incorporating a philosophical foundation, FEP broadens both u...
En un mundo aceleradamente cambiante, para confrontar las pérdidas de biodiversidad, el desconoci... more En un mundo aceleradamente cambiante, para confrontar las pérdidas de biodiversidad, el desconocimiento y falta de valoración de los grupos de organismos más diversos, son necesarios cambios culturales que trasciendan a los ámbitos puramente científicos y tecnológicos. En este trabajo se aborda esta problemática al enfocarse en uno de los grupos de organismos menos conocidos en una de las regiones más remotas del planeta: los insectos dulceacuícolas en la ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes. El desarrollo de esta tesis consideró investigaciones científico-ecológicas y filosófico-ambientales que se integraron con prácticas de educación ambiental formal y no-formal que valoran a los insectos dulceacuícolas, particularmente como indicadores del cambio climático. La integración de las ciencias y la filosofía se realizó adaptando metodología de la Filosofía Ambiental de Campo que incluye un ciclo de cuatro pasos. La investigación transdisciplinaria sobre los insectos dulceacuícolas y sus ecosistemas subantárticos fue la base para la composición de metáforas y actividades educativas con escolares, otros miembros de la comunidad local y visitantes al Parque Omora, en Puerto Williams, Chile. A partir de esta tesis se diseñaron nuevas actividades educativas al aire libre cuyos objetivos son despertar el interés de la ciudadanía por los insectos, orientar las percepciones sobre estos organismos, sus hábitats y hábitos de vida. De esta manera, este trabajo aspira, a nivel local, a contribuir a un mayor conocimiento, valoración y conservación de esta singular biodiversidad subantártica y, a nivel global, a superar la subvaloración del grupo más diverso de organismos: los insectos.
Este trabajo propone un nuevo concepto para cambiar la percepción de los hábitats de alta montaña... more Este trabajo propone un nuevo concepto para cambiar la percepción de los hábitats de alta montaña en la región subantártica de Cabo de Hornos, desde un "desierto altoandino" hacia "jardineras" donde prevalecen las interacciones ecológicas positivas. Este cambio lo generamos a través de una práctica de la filosofía ambiental de campo, que incluyó la investigación en conjunto con la composición de metáforas y el diseño de actividades de campo ecológica y éticamente guiadas. El nuevo concepto procura afinar la observación y comprensión de los hábitos de vida de las plantas de alta montaña, donde la cooperación favorece la riqueza de especies que co-habitan en los hábitats altoandinos. Se demostró que el hábito de crecimiento en "cojín" es muy frecuente en estos ambientes, tanto en plantas vasculares como en musgos. Para promover la valoración ética y sintetizar descubrimientos ecológicos de estas formas de vida y las interacciones positivas que establecen con otras especies, se compuso la metáfora: "Jardineras altoandinas subantárticas".
Although there is general agreement among conservation practitioners about the need for (1) socia... more Although there is general agreement among conservation practitioners about the need for (1) social involvement on the part of scientists; (2) interdisciplinary approaches; (3) working on local, regional, and global levels; and (4) implementing international agreements on biodiversity and environmental protection, a major challenge we face in conservation today is how to integrate and implement these multiple dimensions. Few researchers have actually offered hands-on examples for showing in practical terms how such integration can be accomplished. To address this challenge we present an innovative case study: the Omora Ethnobotanical Park, a long-term biocultural conservation initiative at the southern extreme of the Americas. Located near Puerto Williams (55º S), Cape Horn Archipelago region, Chile, the Omora Park is a public-private reserve that provides material and conceptual foundations for three complementary conservation actions: (1) interdisciplinary scientific research; (2) informal and formal education, i.e., school, university, and training courses; and (3) biocultural conservation. The latter entails an actual reserve that protects biodiversity and the water quality of Puerto Williams' watershed, as well as programs on Yahgan traditional ecological knowledge and interdisciplinary activities, such as "field environmental ethics" and ecotourism, carried out in the reserve. Being at the "end of the world," and within one of the most remote and pristine ecoregions on the planet, Omora Park offers a "bio-cultural treasure." At the same time, its geographical and technological isolation presents a challenge for implementing and sustaining conservation actions. To achieve the general conservation goals, we have defined 10 principles that have guided the actions of Omora: (1) interinstitutional cooperation, (2) a participatory approach, (3) an interdisciplinary approach, (4) networking and international cooperation, (5) communication through the media, (6) identification of a flagship species, (7) outdoor formal and informal education, (8) economic sustainability and ecotourism, (9) administrative sustainability, and (10) research and conceptual sustainability for conservation. These principles have been effective for establishing the long-term Omora initiative, as well as involving multiple actors, disciplines, and scales. Upon these foundations, the Omora initiative has extended its local goals to the regional level through a successful 5-yr process in cooperation with the Chilean government to create the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO in June 2005, with the goal of establishing a long-term institutionalpolitical framework that promotes social well-being and biocultural conservation at the southernmost tip of the Americas.
South American coastal habitats include a wide range of benthic ecosystems, many of which are uni... more South American coastal habitats include a wide range of benthic ecosystems, many of which are unique and constitute hotspots of biodiversity. Marine protected areas (MPAs), instituted mostly during the second half of the twentieth Century, are considered a key management tool to conserve regional biodiversity, prevent overexploitation, and generate economic benefits. Educational actions to promote changes in basic values, principles, and attitudes -although considered also as a main objective -frequently have a poor conceptual basis. In conjunction F. Berchez (
Ecosystems in the sub-Antarctic region can be subjected to extreme weather conditions year-round.... more Ecosystems in the sub-Antarctic region can be subjected to extreme weather conditions year-round. Little data exist that show any relationship between climatic variables and activity patterns of passerine birds, despite the fact that weather patterns can have a dramatic influence on the foraging strategies of these birds in different seasons. Passerine birds must balance the risk of starvation and the risk of predation in accordance with variation in environmental variables. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship of season, habitat type and weather patterns with the daily activity patterns of three diurnal passerine bird species from different trophic guilds. Unlike most low-latitude passerine species, the three passerine bird species in Omora Park on Navarino Island do not show strict adherence to a bimodal activity pattern; instead, these birds show a variety of activity patterns throughout the year that differ by trophic guild and habitat type. These modifications in activity patterns may be an adaptation to minimize the risk of predation and starvation in the face of temperature-dependent food availability.
The long-term socio-ecological research (LTSER) study sites should integrate theoretical and appl... more The long-term socio-ecological research (LTSER) study sites should integrate theoretical and applied research to effectively confront global socio-environmental change. For a socio-ecological integration beyond the socio-economic approach that prevails today in LTSER networks worldwide, in the southernmost site of the LTSER-Chile network (Omora Park, 55 o S) we have developed the Field Environmental Philosophy (FEP) methodological approach. This paper presents a methodological framework and applications of FEP at Omora Park that combine ecological and philosophical research in education and biocultural conservation programs, including ecotourism. Through in situ and in tempo work with educators, policy makers and other stakeholders, researchers not only investigate the relations between society and ecosystems, but also transform them. This ecological and ethical understanding orient educational and governance processes toward ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability. The experiences of FEP demonstrate how this methodology transforms socio-ecological relationships by: (i) changes in language that generate in society a "change of lenses" to appreciate values and the symbolic-linguistic reality, usually studied by philosophers; this change determines, in turn, (ii) transformations in the ways in which society understands and value the biophysical reality of ecosystems, usually studied by ecologists. Globally, the FEP provides a methodology that contributes to orient global society towards ways that better understand and value biodiversity, favoring the sustainability of life.
The research carried out in the three foundational sites of the Chilean Long-Term Socio-Ecologica... more The research carried out in the three foundational sites of the Chilean Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research Network (LTSER-Chile) aims to answer questions that reflect the regional context in which each site is immersed. The formation of the network in 2008 provided an opportunity to establish comparative studies and analyse the effects of the different components of global change could exert on different ecosystems in Chile. This study presents an analysis of the research programs of each of the three sites and presents the context in which these lines have been established. Each founder site has identified key aspects associated with local needs and the interests of the research groups that initiated and have directed the ecological or socio-ecological long-term studies. At the national scale these different approaches are complementary. First, we present an analysis and evaluation of the research conducted by each of these groups. Then, we develop a diagnosis of the research developed at each of the sites during the last two decades with the goal of identifying gaps and future research opportunities. Furthermore, this characterization will contribute to addressing the challenges and opportunities in basic and applied long-term socio-ecological research.
In this foreword to the special section on long-term ecological research in Chile we briefly intr... more In this foreword to the special section on long-term ecological research in Chile we briefly introduce the main topics and ideas of each of the articles and comment on their relevance in the context of research and monitoring of Chilean ecosystems and in the perspective of global change research.
La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes ha sido identificada como una de las 24 zonas prístinas ... more La ecorregión subantártica de Magallanes ha sido identificada como una de las 24 zonas prístinas del planeta ya que: (i) conserva más del 70 % de la vegetación original, (ii) abarca un área exten-sa mayor a 10.000 km 2 , (iii) posee una de las densidades poblacionales humanas más bajas dentro de las latitudes templadas y carece de desarrollo industrial significativo. La ecorregión se extiende desde el Cabo de Hornos (56° S) hasta el Golfo de Penas (47° S) (figura 1). Esta zona de archipiélagos contiene los bosques más australes del pla-
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Papers by Ricardo Rozzi
Andreozzi's text integrates historical insights with modern theories, offering readers a comprehensive overview of how Western philosophies and sciences can inform a non-anthropocentric ethical stance. By distinguishing between various schools of thought, from narrow anthropocentrism to broader eco-centric views, the book encourages critical engagement with differing philosophical perspectives. This nuanced analysis is vital for preparing scholars and practitioners to navigate the complexities of environmental ethics in the twenty-first century.
Importantly, Andreozzi emphasizes the necessity of harmonizing traditional ethical theories with contemporary environmental concerns. He suggests that rather than discarding established paradigms, we should build upon them to create a cohesive moral framework that respects and values all forms of life. This entails a commitment to analytical rigor and hermeneutic exploration, focusing not merely on the answers but on the fundamental questions that shape our understanding of morality and our responsibilities toward the natural world.
Ultimately, the book Reimagining Ethics posits that a syncretic approach—reconciling diverse philosophical traditions—could pave the way for a consensus on environmental ethics, fostering a deeper respect for the interrelated web of life that sustains us. This shift in perspective is crucial for inspiring transformative actions toward a more equitable coexistence with our planet’s diverse ecosystems.