Beyond the Human: Rethinking Personhood

In a time of ecological crisis, ethical questions about the environment are no longer just about conservation- they’re about relationship. What if the Earth isn’t just something we live on, but something we live with? What happens when animals, trees, rivers, or even ecosystems are seen not as objects, but as persons?

This conversation-based session will explore the philosophical roots of environmental ethics, challenge the dominance of anthropocentrism, and introduce alternative worldviews like ecocentrism and animism. We’ll dive into the question of personhood: what it means, who it applies to, and how shifting our answers might reshape our moral obligations to the more-than-human world.

Come prepared to reflect, wrestle, and imagine—because how we define a person may change how we live on and with this planet.

Optional readings:
Environmental Ethics

Animal Personhood (paper)