Timothy Morton (philosopher and professor at the Rice University in Houston, USA) is concerned with the question of how humans relate to ecology. 12.500 years ago, we divided the world into nature and culture, into man and animal, with man in the leading role. This way of thinking in terms of boundaries and species, also known as anthropocentrism, must change because humans, animals and things are interwoven, according to Morton. We are all symbiotic beings that are intertwined with other symbiotic beings.

His books are an invitation to start thinking in an associative, playful way. ‘Dark Ecology’ (2016) is now considered a standard work and ‘Being Ecological’ (2018) is his most recent book. Don’t expect it to give you a summary of ecological facts and figures or an accusatory monologue, but rather a plea for handling ecological knowledge in a more sincere way.

In the run up to this STRP Scenario night on Thursday January 30, we are organising a reading group so we can pause, think and discuss Morton's ideas together. Read this article on Timothy Morton's latest book Being Ecological in the Guardian.

Listen to the BBC 4 programme The End of the World Has Already Happened in which Timothy Morton rethinks our psychological relationship with the climate crisis and our place in the biosphere.

See the art exhibition Polarities, Psychology and Politics of Being Ecological at MU Artspace. With Polarities, MU is questioning the extremities of our age. Is economy truly the opposite of nature, female the opposite of male, extinction the opposite of survival? Change is inevitable, but don’t worry too much: we are all ecological anyhow.