The new climatic regime of Anthropocene and Gaia

Abstract

This article discusses the concepts of Anthropocene and Gaia, raised by Bruno Latour, as categories to understand the climate regime we are experiencing and serve as a theoretical basis to seek appropriate responses to the climate crisis. These concepts seek to overcome two assumptions of modern rationality: the opposition between nature and culture – questioning the principle that humans are the only actors in reality and introducing all living beings as agents shaping the environment – and the globalizing vision of planet Earth that prevents us from seeing it as localized soil where biogeochemical cycles of energy transformation that make life possible take place. It is concluded that Latour’s reflection provides ontological bases for the discussion on climate change and assumptions for environmental bioethics.