This programmatic essay focuses on the concept of life collectives, which are also thought collectives. From a historical-materialist perspective, it discusses the long-term natural and social processes that have led to the Anthropocene as a new geological epoch. The authors are concerned with a reflection on our species and, thus, with a redefinition of humanity that takes into account the timescales of the intertwined histories of Earth and humankind as well as an understanding of planetary boundaries. From their perspective, humans possess the power to shape the planet, but at the same time, their opportunities and responsibilities are unevenly distributed. Against this backdrop, the authors explore our species’ capacity for alliance – with nature as well as with one another – as a prerequisite for effectively addressing global challenges. Local communities and globally active intellectual collectives open up new perspectives for developing a species consciousness grounded in what we share and for designing sustainable paths toward the future.
Essay
Fynn Ole Engler, born in Wismar in 1971, works as a philosopher of science at the University of Rostock. From 2006 to 2024, he conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin.
Jürgen Renn, born in Moers in 1956, is a historian of science, physicist, and mathematician. He served as director of the MPI for the History of Science in Berlin from 1994 to 2023, and has been the founding director of the MPI for Geoanthropology in Jena since 2022. His recent research has focused, among other things, on the Anthropocene and the challenges it poses to the history of knowledge.
