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BarcelonaPope06162016

4960Words

Pope Francis Explains Pragmatism to the World: Integral


Ecology, Pragmatism and the Work of Communication
Presented to: The Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies (CMCS)
Bridging Gaps Conference
Barcelona July 2016

Prof. Carl Bybee


Director, Oregon Media Literacy Project
School of Journalism and Communication
200 Allen Hall
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403
bybee@uoregon.edu / 541-346-4175

ThePope'sbigsurprisewithLaudtoSi:Notjustaspiritualpleatobenicetothe
planetandtopoorpeople,butastunningcalltoreimaginewhatitmeanstobe
modern(Francis,2015).
Buttheiswhetherornotmostofusgotthesurprise.Formanythesurprisewas
thatthePopelinkedtwoissueswepreferredtothinkofasseparateoratleast
disconnected:climatechangeandsavageeconomicinequality.
ButthePopehadanevenbiggersurpriseforus,onethatmanyofuscouldn'teven
hearorunderstandbecauseitseemedhewasspeakinginanewandstrangelanguage,
and,becauseofwhatforusseemedthedeepironyofthemessage:ThePope,asa
worldreligiousleaderofanancientandpremoderninstitution,waslayingoutaway
ofunderstandingthemodernworldthatwasmuchmoremodernthanmostofus
modernswerewillingtoconsiderorimagine.
Ineffect,hewaslayingoutananswertothechargemadeagainstwesternculture
byourFrenchfriend,philosopher,anthropologistandscienceandtechnologies
studiesscholar,BrunoLatour.ToLatour'schallenge,"wehaveneverbeenmodern,"
bywhichLatourmeanttrulyandmeaningfullymodern,thePopehadareply:"Here's
how"(Latour,1993).Anditwasn'tbysuggestingthatwegobacktoapremodern
understandingoftheworldandembraceamysticalreligiousworldview.Andit
called,Ithink,foradramaticrevisioningofthecentralworkoftoday'smediastudies
scholars.
SohereiswhatIwouldliketodointhisbrieftalktoday.Whatwasandisthe
PopecallingforinLaudatoSi,thesocalled"greenencyclical"?Andwhyisitbothso
hardtounderstandandyetsocrucialthatwedo?AndhowcantheworkofAmerican
Pragmatists,andparticularlyworkbyandfollowingJohnDewey,helpusunderstand
thenewvisionofmodernitythatthePopeiscallingforandcanactuallycontribute,
enrichandextendthisworkinawaythatmeetsthePopeandhelpsusallto
understandthestakesandthehopephysical,material,culturalandspiritual
offeredtoalllivingcreaturesandtoourlivingplanetbypotentiallyembracingthis
newwayofunderstandingmodernism.
Solet'sgetstarted.

WhatwasandisthePopeCallingforinLaudatoSi,theSoCalled"Green
Encyclical"?

Firstlet'stakeaquicklookatarepresentativeexampleofwhatthemainstream
newsmediathoughtthePopewassaying.Let'stake,forinstance,theCNNpiece
titled"PopeFrancis:'Revolution'neededtocombatclimatechange"(Burke,2015).
CNNdescribestheencyclicalasa"sternlecture"."slammingaslewofmodern
trends"..fromthe"theheedlessworshipoftechnology,ouraddictiontofossilfuels
andcompulsiveconsumerism"andleaving"littledoubtaboutwhotoblame.Big
businesses,energycompanies,shortsightedpoliticians,scurrilousscientists,laissez
faireeconomists,indifferentindividuals,callousChristiansandmyopicmedia
professionals."
Inotherwords,theencyclicaltitledafter,inCNN'swordsan"archaicItalian
phrase"wastobeunderstoodastherecyclingof"thenowfamiliarthemesofhis
papacy"allowingthePopeto"puthissignaturestamponacontroversialtopicandhis
moralcloutontheline."
Andallofthisinastorybytheirreligioneditor,DanielBurke.
Clearly,Mr.Burkewasneitherlistening,oriflistening,hecouldnothearor
understandtheprofoundnewvisionofmodernismthatthePopewaslayingout
notjustasimplespiritualendorsementofclimatesciencebutarethinkingofthe
relationshipbetweenscienceandreligionitself.
Wasthisjustarecyclingof"thenowfamiliarthemesofhispapacy"?Idon'tthink
so.
IwanttoarguethatthePopesurprisesusallbychallengingmodernism,notfrom
theexpectedpremodernperspectiveoffundamentalistreligiousleadersandtexts,but
fromadeepcritiqueofmodernismonitsownterms.
ForthePope(Francis,2015)therearetwomodernisms,themodernismweknow
andtolerate,andwhichprecludesusfromseeinganyothermodernism,the
modernismhecalls"thedominanttechnologicalparadigm"andanewvisionof
modernism,whathecalls"integralecology"whichtakesasitsstartingpointthatitis
imperativethatwestudytherelationshipbetweenlivingorganismsandthe
environmentinwhichtheydevelop"andfurtherthat"itcannotbeemphasizedenough
howeverythingisinterconnected."
Let'stakeaquicklookatourcurrentmodernism:thedominanttechnological
paradigm.
Hewritesthat"acertainwayofunderstandinghumanlife,"whathecallsthe
"dominanttechnologicalparadigm"has"goneawry."Thisisnotacondemnation
basedonsomefixedspiritualstandard,itisanobservationthatseeingtheworldina
particularwayhasconsequences,consequencesthatmaynothavebeenintendedbut
stillcanbeobservedandevaluated.
Inthisobservationheisalreadybeginningtosoundmoremodernthanmanyofus
moderns.Technologyisnottobeunderstoodassomeabsolutetruthorsome
uncontrollableforceofnature,butasonewayamongothersforbothmakingsenseof
ourworldandforeffectingacertainpatternofrelationshipsbetweenusandtheworld
welivein.Itisopentoreflection,evaluationandifnecessary,reconsideration.

WhatistheDominantTechnologicalParadigm?

PopeFrancis(2010)writes:"itisthewaythathumanityhastakenuptechnology
anditsdevelopmentaccordingtoanundifferentiatedandonedimensionalparadigm.
Thisparadigmexaltstheconceptofasubjectwho,usinglogicalandrational
procedures,progressivelyapproachesandgainscontroloveranexternalobject.This
subjectmakeseveryefforttoestablishthescientificandexperimentalmethod,which
initselfisalreadyatechniqueofpossession,masteryandtransformation.Itisasif
thesubjectweretofinditselfinthepresenceofsomethingformless,completelyopen
tomanipulation."
Inthisamazingpassage,thePopearguesforasophisticatedreunderstandingof
boththeworkofscienceandthemeaningoftechnology.Scienceisnotjustasimple
procedureformeasuringandcontrollingapreexistingreality.Scienceitselfasa
culturalactivity,oneamongmany,establishesaparticularkindofrelationship
betweenhumansandthelivingworld.Science,ifitnotunderstoodasoneamong
manytoolsforencounteringtheworld,butinsteadisunderstoodastheabsolute
meansforknowingtheworldabsolutely,hasprofoundanddamagingconsequence.
Wecometounderstandourselves,assubjectsdisconnectedfromtheworldwestudy.
Weseeourselvesashavingalltheagencyandalltherighttodowhatwelikewiththe
objectifiedworld.Itisthereforonlyouruseandexploitation.Thereisnocalltosee,
understandandvaluetheimmensityofourinterrelationshipwiththeworldwe,inan
empoverishedviewofscience,"study."
AsthePopewrites:"Menandwomenhaveconstantlyintervenedinnature,butfor
alongtimethismeantbeingintunewithandrespectingthepossibilitiesofferedby
thethingsthemselves.Itwasamatterofreceivingwhatnatureitselfallowed,asif
fromitsownhand.Now,bycontrast,wearetheonestolayourhandsonthings,
attemptingtoextracteverythingpossiblefromthemwhilefrequentlyignoringor
forgettingtherealityinfrontofus.Humanbeingsandmaterialobjectsnolonger
extendafriendlyhandtooneanother;therelationshiphasbecomeconfrontational.
Thishasmadeiteasytoaccepttheideaofinfiniteorunlimitedgrowth,whichproves
soattractivetoeconomists,financiersandexpertsintechnology."
Thisisnotasimplistic,moralcondemnationofthedangerousreductivecharacter
ofnarrowlyunderstoodempiricalscience,itisacomplex,sophisticatedandmodern
examinationofhowtools,evenworldshapingtoolslikescience,arenevermere
tools,theyarealwaysmediationsthatreshapetherelationshipbetweenusandtheour
environment.Weactonourenvironment,ourenvironmentactsonus.Weare
mutuallycreated.Thisisnotmysticalreligiousdoctrine,thisiswhatscienceitself
tellsus.ThisisthedistinctionbetweenwhatLatourhascalledthedominant
fragmentingsciencesandtheemergentunifyingandecologicalsciences(Latour,
2008).Anditiswhereamoreinclusiveunderstandingofscienceandspiritualitycan
infactmeet.
AndherewealsoseePopeFranciscarryingforwardhisargumentfortaking
anotherlookatwhatwemeanbytechnologyitself.Thesearenotsimply
technologicalobjects,theyarehumanmadetools,humanmademediations,carry
humanmadevaluesanddesiresinreshapingourrelationshipstothelivingworld.
AsthePopewrites:"Modernanthropocentrismhasparadoxicallyendedupprizing
technicalthoughtoverreality,sincethetechnologicalmindseesnatureasan
insensateorder,asacoldbodyoffacts,asameregiven,asanobjectofutility,as
rawmaterialtobehammeredintousefulshape;itviewsthecosmossimilarlyasa
merespaceintowhichobjectscanbethrownwithcompleteindifference.[92]The
intrinsicdignityoftheworldisthuscompromised.Whenhumanbeingsfailtofind
theirtrueplaceinthisworld,theymisunderstandthemselvesandendupacting
againstthemselves."
Anditisinthissophisticatedrethinkingoftheworkandmeaningofscienceand
oftechnology,thatweseethePopearguingforamodernitythatputshumanbeings
backintotheworld,oftheworld,whereindividualismisnotunderstoodasseparation
fromlivingworld,butlivingresponsiblyinrelationshiptothelivingworld.Notan
egocentricanthropomorphism,butahumbleandappreciativeawarenessofthehuman
placeincontributiontothelivingworld.
TosaythatthePopeismerelyrecyclingof"thenowfamiliarthemesofhis
papacy"wouldseemtohaveutterlymissedthepoint.SowhatdoesthePope'snew
modernismlooklikewhatishiscallforan"integralecology"?

WhatisIntegralEcology?

Anecologythatattendstothe"relationshipbetweenlivingorganismsandthe
environmentinwhichtheydevelop."Arecognitionofnaturethat"cannotberegarded
assomethingseparatefromourselvesorasameresettinginwhichwelive.weare
partofnature,includedinitandthusinconstantinteractionwithit."An"economic
ecology"whichmovesbeyondreductionistnotionsofstandardizationsandnarrowly
conceivedeconomicefficiencies,to"abroadervisionofreality,"whichseesthe"the
protectionoftheenvironmentisinfactanintegralpartofthedevelopmentprocess
andcannotbeconsideredinisolationfromit.'"
An"integralecology"that,forinstance,recognizes"thereasonswhyagivenarea
ispollutedrequiresastudyoftheworkingsofsociety,itseconomy,itsbehavior
patterns,andthewaysitgraspsreality."
"thewaysitgraspsreality".HereweseethePopedirectlypointingtothe
workofmediascholarscommunicationastheworkbothofgraspingreality,but
alsotheworkofholdingandsustainingandinterweavingtherelationshipsand
connectionsthatmakelife,humancultureandhumancommunitypossible,possible
alwaysincontinuousrelationshiptoeachotherandthelivingworld.Andwecan
alsoseehowtheworkofmediascholarshipcangetinthewayofhearingthisnew
visionofmodernismifourunderstandingofcommunicatonasgraspingof
"reality",asmererepresentationistrappedinadualisticunderstandingofthe
subject/objectrelationship,ofourrelationshiptoourenvironment,thentheworkof
communicationcanbeseenasperpetuatingakindofdenialadenialof
relationship,ofinterconnectionandcertainlyofourinterpenetration,atermIwillget
backtoinabit,withtheworld.
ForthePopeandthecommunityofthinkers,theologiansandscientistswho
workedwithhim,"integralecology"alsocallsforanewunderstandingoftheactof
inquiryitself.ThePopewrites,"itisnolongerpossibletofindaspecific,discrete
answerforeachpartoftheproblem.Itisessentialtoseekcomprehensivesolutions
whichconsidertheinteractionswithinnaturalsystemsthemselvesandwithsocial
systems."."Theinteractionswithinnaturalsystemsthemselvesandwithsocial
systems."Inquiryneedstogetmore"materialist,"more"empirical,"more
"evolutionary,"moreembodied,moresystemic/relational,notless.
Andhewarns"thatthefragmentationofknowledgeandtheisolationofbitsof
informationcanactuallybecomeaformofignorance,unlesstheyareintegratedintoa
broadervisionofreality."
Fragmentationasperhapsthemostcrucial,unrecognizedformsofignoranceof
ourtime.
AgainthePopeispointingtoamodernismmoremodernthanmanyofushave
beenwillingtofullyconsider.Inquiryisbothameansofknowingandameansby
whichwearetiedtoandreshapedbywhatweknow.Thereisnoroomforthe
narrow,scientisticideaofvalueneutralityinknowingorthehumanisticpretenseof
somemystical/idealaestheticvalue.Wecometoknowwhatwedecidetopay
attentiontoandhowwedecidetoengagewithwhateverwepayattentionto
mediatedbythetoolswecreatetoknow.
Andhereagain,thePopeoffersastunningandcomplexempiricaland
philosophicalpointdrawnfromtheideaofintegralecologythatoffersuparicher
moremodernviewoftheworldthanmanyofusmodernshavebeenwillingto
acknowledge.Theworld,realty,theuniverseandwhatcontainstheuniverseare
beyondourknowingabsolutely,andcertainlybeyondourknowingthroughanyone
limitedmethodofengagement,evenifthatengagementissocalledscience.Whatis
neededisahumblerecognition,basedonafullerunderstandingofourtools,our
relationshiptoourtoolsandthelimitsofourtools,whatwecouldcallarespectful
methodologicalpluralism.
AsthePopewrites,"Asciencewhichwouldoffersolutionstothegreatissues
wouldnecessarilyhavetotakeintoaccountthedatageneratedbyotherfieldsof
knowledge,includingphilosophyandsocialethics;butthisisadifficulthabitto
acquiretoday."Averydifficulthabitgivenaculturelockedintotheanarrow
technologicalmindset/spiritset.
AsthePopewrites,"wearefacednotwithtwoseparatecrises,oneenvironmental
andtheothersocial,butratherwithonecomplexcrisiswhichisbothsocialand
environmental.Strategiesforasolutiondemandanintegratedapproachtocombating
poverty,restoringdignitytotheexcluded,andatthesametimeprotectingnature."
AndwhyisthePope'scallforanewmodernism,anintegralecology,bothsohardto
understandandyetsocrucialthatwedo?
Ithinkbynowtheanswertothisquestionisbecomingclear.Itasksthatwetakea
harder,morecarefullookatthisthingcalledsciencewhichhasunleashedenormous
powersfromtheearthandputtheminthehandsofhumans..leadingustoan
inflatedsenseofimportanceforourownspeciesandtoasenseofseparationfromour
ownbodiesandourownlivingworld.Butitisimportanttobeclearhere:thePopeis
notcommendingscience,heisaskingthatweseeitinamoreproperperspective,ina
humanperspectivethatasksofustotakeresponsibilityforitsusesandoutcomes.Itis
notsomethingbeyondoraboveus.Itisnotsomenewfalseseculargod.Itisawayof
negotiatingourrelationshiptotheearthandtoeachotherthatcanbedirectedbythe
valueswechoosetoholddearandnotbythebeliefthatitisvaluefree.
Anditasksustoreconsiderourrelationshipstoallofthethingsthatsurroundus
thatwehavewrittenoffasmereobjectsbothtechnologicalandnatural.Weare
ourtechnologyandourtechnologyisus.Wearenothumanssetapartfromnature,
buthumansaspartofnature.Ourheightenedawarenessofanintegralecologyasks
ustosurrenderavisionofourselvesaslittlegods,butlonelyanddisconnectedlittle
gods,andinsteadoffersustheopportunitytocomehometoourbrothersandsisters
andplanet.
Theseideasarenotsonew.Theyhaveincreasinglybeencomingfrom
marginalizedecologicalscientists,environmentalphilosophers,ecopsychologists,
theologians,andmore.WhatisnewisthePope'sefforttorecognizetheseideas,
embracethem,articulatethemandarticulateaspacedrawingontheseideaswhere
science,spirituality,theenvironmentandsocialjusticeallmeet.

IntegralEcologyandtheAmericanPragmatists

Who would have expected the Pope working from his seemingly
anachronistic spiritual domain making such a historic effort to
move toward a integral ecology version of modernism? And what
resources do we have from a secular, scientific, empirical world
waiting to meet him? This is, I think, the importance of American
Pragmatism and the work of John Dewey.
Dewey,nearlyacenturyago,wasatworkdevelopinganempiricalandwhatwe
mightcall,ecological,alternativetotheemergingvisionofmodernism,whichthe
Popehascalled,initspresentform,thedominanttechnologicalparadigm.
TheworkofDeweyandthepragmatistshasoverthelasttwentyyearsemerged
fromthemarginsofphilosophyandphilosophyofsciencetomarkoutformanya
thirdapproachtounderstandingmodernism.Whiletherearemanydimensionstothe
pragmatistproject,particularlyrelevanthereareDewey'sinterrelatedconceptsof
culturalnaturalism,philosophyoftechnology,logicofinquiry,andradical
empiricism.
Afewwordsabouttheseconcepts.
Dewey'spositiongrowsfromhisargumentthatwhatwehavecalledthe
materialistviewofmodernsciencewasnotmaterialistenoughandfurther
undervaluedthegreatcontributionofthescientificmethod.Bynotbeingmaterialist
enough,Deweyarguedthattheemergingnarrowdefinitionofsciencefailedtotake
intoitsmaterialaccountneitherthescientistnortheinstrumentsofinquiry.
ForDeweyinquiryitselfisembeddedinarich,changing,complexlyrelatedcontext
whichmustbeaccountedforinanyfullunderstandingofwhatitisthatsciencedoes.
Theunfortunateillusionthatthescientistactsalone,usingmeretoolsofinquiryto
discoverapreexistingrealitydoesagreatdisservicetofullyunderstandingthereal
powerofscientificinquiry.
ForDeweythescientistisalwaysalreadyembeddedinaculturalcontext.The
questionsofconcerndonotemergefromthesocalledobjectsoftheworld,butfrom
theinterestsofthescientist/inquirerinanefforttosolvetheproblemsoflivingand
thrivinginacomplexandeverchangingenvironment.Theuniverseandthe
unfoldinginterrelatedeventsthataretakingplaceareinfinite.Theattentionofthe
inquirerisdirectedtowardaspectsoftheenvironmentwhichareimmediatelyof
importance.Toaspectsoftheenvironmentwhichposeproblemsforexistenceand
enjoymentofthelivingcreature.Theinquirerisalwaysanorganisminnotapartfrom
anenvironment.
Toolsareshapedtomediatetheencounterbetweenthelivingcreatureandthe
livingworld.Intheirconstructionandusethelivingcreatureandtheenvironmentare
bothtransformed.Atoolisneversimplyameretool,itisafullyculturalartifactof
actionandengagement.Whetherthetoolisalever,awheel,adrawing,language,a
methodologyforinquiry,orasteamengine.Itspotencyisbothfortheimmediatetask
forwhichitisdesignedandfortheculturalmemorythatisembeddedinitasan
objectitself.
ForDeweythegreatachievementofsciencebasedinquiry,isnotthelonely
discoveryofanisolatedscientistofsomeabsolutetruthabouttheworld.Insteaditis
theachievementofacooperativeandreflectiveprocessofengagement,andcollective
memoryoftheoutcomesofthoseengagements,whichhavethecapacitytodirect
futureaction.Knowledgeisnotouttherecontainedintheessenceofsomeobject,but
theactiveprocessofgrowingapubliclysharedandpubliclytestedunderstandingof
individualandcollectiveexperience.
Culturalnaturalismrecognizesthehistoricalbuildingprocessofalwayschanging
andcontingentknowledge,throughouractiveengagementwiththeenvironment.Itis
theoutcomeofthematerialengagementofourbodieswiththeenvironment.
ThePragmatistphilosophyoftechnologyrecognizestheactive,living,human
designedandhumantransformingqualityofourtools.Ourtoolsdothings,butthey
dothingsincertainwaysbecausetheyareexpressionsofparticularinterestswehave
inourrelationshiptoeachotherandtothelivingworld.Totreatthemasmere
objects,meretools,istoforgetourrelationshiptothemandtobothdismissour
interrelationshiptothetoolswebringintobeingandourresponsibilityforhowboth
weandtheenvironmentaretransformedbythem.
AndforDeweyandthepragmatists,inquiryisalwaysasociallyinformedand
socialprocess.Anditsoutcomeisalwaysasocialkindofknowledge,carryingthe
imprintoftheculturalforces,desiresandneedsthatproducedit,andhavingits
validityonlyintermsofitsusefulnessinapplicationausefulnesstobepublically
judgedintermsofitsoutcomesonallwhoareeffectedbyitsimplementation.
Inquiry,likelivingitself,issocialandinteractivewithotherlivingcreaturesandwith
thelivingworldthroughandthrough.
Meaningandvaluesarealwaysintertwined.Theirsupposedseparationbyacrude
modernismhascreatedendlessproblemsforthesocalledmodern..most
significantly,onceitwasunfortunatelyacceptedthatsciencecouldbeseparatedfrom
values,theentireproblemofhowtoinventanethicstoguidetheapplicationof
sciencebecametheendlessandineffectivepreoccupationofacenturyofphilosophy
andpublicpolicy.Aradicalempiricismtakesallofthesedimensionsofexperience
intofullaccount.
AndforDeweyandthepragmatists,iftheconceptofculturalnaturalismdirects
ourattentiontoscienceandinquiryasahumanbuilt,valueladenmeansofbeingin
theworld,theconceptoflogicitselfisnodifferent.Itisyetanothertool.Thereis
noabsolutelogic.Therearelogicswhichcanbeconstructedandhavevalue.The
valuecanonlybeunderstoodintheirapplicationandinthesocialandpublic
assessmentoftheiroutcome.Narrowlyunderstoodempiricalscienceisonlyone
amonganinfinitenumberofwaystoengagewithourbeingintheworld.Again,the
valueoftheseengagementscanonlybeascertainedthroughreflectionandpublic
evaluationoftheiroutcomes.

JohnDeweymeetsPopeFrancis

ThePopeinthegreenencyclicallaidoutavisionforanewandmoremeaningful
Modernism.Amodernismmarkedbyadeepawarenessofthespiritual,cultural,
economicandecologicalinterconnectednessandinterdependenceofallliving
creaturesandalllivingcreaturesinarelationshiptoalivingworld.ThePope
proposedawaytoreimaginebothscienceandreligionitself.Butitwasn'tavision
thatwasn'tnecessarilyfullyheardbecauseofthestereotypesandbiaseswehaveof
whatreligionmeansorwhataworldreligiousleadercansayandnotsay.
Weweren'treallyexpectinghimtoexplainhowwecouldreimagineandre
understandourlivingrelationshiptoourplanetorhowhecouldofferaworld
changingviewofhowweunderstandeconomicsandtechnologyandsciencein
relationshiptoourculturalpractices.Weexpectedhimtostayinhiscornerofthe
culturaluniverse,thereligiouscorner,thespiritualcorner.Wedidn'texpecthimto
makeapowerfulandcompellingargumentthattheseparationofscienceandreligion,
scienceandvalues,hasdoneusgreatharm.
OnehundredyearsagoJohnDeweysawhowemergingmodernismwasaboutto
substituteadogmatictruthofanarrowlyconceivedandnarrowlyunderstoodsenseof
scienceforarich,complex,holistic,materialistandexperientialviewofsocial
inquiry.Deweywasn'tantiscience,hewasantiscientistichewasantireductionist.
Hissciencewasanecologicalscienceahumanscienceofinterrelationshipswithin
culturalandenvironmentalcontexts,anecologicalsciencethatrecognizedthe
interpenetrationofvaluesandknowing,andthatheldoutthehopeforagrowing
awarenessofhowvaluesanddesireguidedactionandhowactioncouldbeevaluated
intermsoffulfillingthevaluesthatcommunitiesrecognized,articulatedandheld
dear.Therewasno"pure"science.Therewereno"mere"tools.Therewereno
individualswhopossessedmeaningoutsideoftheirrelationshiptocommunity.He
saw,inpragmatismasanalternativetocrudemodernism,theriseofanewand
powerfulwayofthinkingaboutandunderstandingandactingonourexperiencein
theworld.Inthisnewwayofseeingandunderstandingourexperienceintheworld
basedonshared,publicinvestigationandpublicreflection,actionintheserviceof
humanfulfillmentinrelationshiptotheirenvironmentwasthemethodofscience.We
canseewhyDeweyisbeinghailedtodayasacentralecologicalphilosopher.
Theparallelsbetween"integralecology"and"pragmatism"Ihopearenow
increasinglyclear.
AndwhatIbelievepragmatismofferstothePopeisahistoricalcontextfroma
secularphilosophictraditionthatputshumansbackintotheworldandwhichjoins
inquiry,technologyandvalues.AndputstheworkofthePopeandLaudatoSiin
alliancewiththehistoricalandcontinuingworkofpragmatismtobuildanew
ecologicalmodernism.Anintegralecology.
AndfinallyitoffersupbothtothePopeandtomediastudiesscholarsacallto
valueandrevaluetheworkofcommunicationintheproduction,practiceand
maintenanceandcontinualrealizationofanintegralecology.

IntegralEcologyandtheWorkofCommunication

Tocreatethespaceforseeingandunderstandingourselvesandthelivingworld
fromanintegralecologyperspectiveanddevelopingthecapacitytoactfromthis
perspective,itisnecessarythattheworkinitiatedbyLaudatoSiandmanyothers,
critiquingandreframingourunderstandingofscientisticmodernism,whatthePope
callsthedominanttechnologicalparadigm,becarriedforward,deepened,and
extended.
ItisherewheretheworkofJohnDeweyandotherAmericanPragmatistsbecomes
centralandcrucial.
ThepowerofDewey'scritiqueofscientisticmodernism,acritiquewhichwas
capablebothofshowingitsflawedelevationofsciencetothenewstatusofan
absolutesecularreligionoftranscendentknowledgeandtoarticulatingacompelling,
alternativeempiricalecologicalmodernismrestedsubstantiallyonhisworkhelping
ustoreunderstandcommunication.
InDewey'sviewcommunicationwasboththemeansandpracticeofallqualities
ofrelationality.Communicationitselfwasfirstandforemostarelationalact.No
communication,norelationship.Andatthesametimeitwasthemeansforbringing
intoawarenessthenatureandqualityofrelationshipsthemselves.
Inthissense,communicationisapreconditionforthought.Communicationbrings
intoexistencethetoolsforsharedunderstandingandforreflection.The
imaginativepossibilityofconsideringandreconsideringwhatistakingplace,what
hastakenplace,andwhatmighttakeplace.
Andforhumanscommunicationbothdependsontheexistenceofcommunityand
atthesametimemakescommunitypossible.Nocommunication,nocommunity.No
community,nocommunication.
AndthisisthefirstpointwhereDeweyandthepragmatistscanenrichour
understandingofthemeaningandpracticeofintegralecologyasamoremodern
modernism.Humansarehumanbynatureoftheirlivingindeepassociationwitheach
other,indeepinterdependencewitheachother.Butitistheveryawarenessofthis
associationwhichascientisticandindividualisticmodernismdeniesandhides.
Valuingcommunicationastheongoingandunderrecognizedworkofcommunity,
andthemeansbymakingvisibleourdeepdependenceoneachotheraswellasthe
livingworld,andtheconsequencesofouractionsoneachotherandthelivingworld,
needstobeoneofthecentrallinesofapproachtorealizinganintegralecology.
Thesecondpointisthatcontrarytothescientisticbeliefthatknowledgemakingis
anindividualisticaffairofdiscoveringapreexistingreality,understandingthe
integralconnectionbetweencommunicationandinquiry,revealsthealwayssocial
characterofknowledge.inthesocialconstructivistcharacterofitsproduction,but
alsocruciallyinitstestingandinitsconstantrevision.Knowledgewhichisnotpublic
isnotknowledge,butaefforttocornerthecommonwellbeingofinterrelationship
andcommunityforprivateinterest.Thoseinmediastudiesthatclingtoa
representationalistorcorrespondenceunderstandingofmeaningcontinuetoalign
themselveswiththenarrowmodernismcritiquedbythePopeandbypragmatists.
Recognizingthatourindividualmindsarethedirectoutcomeofourexperienceof
associationandcommunitythroughandwithcommunicationcontributescentrallyto
therealizationofintegralecology.
Andfinally,forourconsiderationhere,thethirdpoint..communicationisthe
meansbywhichsubjectandobjectareinterpenetrated..notjustheldinrelationship
butcomeintobeingasinterrelated.Noobject,nosubject.Nocommunity,no
individual.Inthispowerfulsenseofbeingasaction,welookagainattechnologyand
seenotmeretools,butthewayswehavechosenconsciouslyorwithout
consciousnesstobeinrelationshiptoeachotherandtothelivingworld.Surrendering
theideaofourseparationfrombothsocallednatureandtechnologycanprovideus
withanotherframeofreferencefortakingresponsibilityforourplaceintheworld
andatthesametimeindevelopingthecapacitytoseeandexperiencewithaweand
reverenceourplaceinthelivingworld.
ThePopeandempiricistslikeJohnDeweycanagree,thattheearthcanspeak,and
whenitspeaks,itspeaksforus,andwhenwespeak,wespeaknotonlyforourselves
butfromandfortheearththisisnotmerepoetry,meremetaphor,butthematerial
groundofourexistencewherescience,communication,spiritualityandpoetry
meet.
Thankyou.

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