Exciting News

Hello and welcome to Rewilding Philosophy, a newsletter dedicated to practical (eko)philosophy for our times. And as always a warm welcome to new subscribers. Today's newsletter is a bit unusual rather than discussing a specific topic, I'm excited to actually share some news about two upcoming projects that I can't wait to introduce to you. These types of newsletters feel especially vulnerable: to share something that I believe in without relying on academic theories. So, shoot me a message if you have any thoughts.

---

IPeP

I am thrilled to make the launch of the Institute for Practical ^ekoPhilosophy (IPeP)¹ official. It’s been in the making for the past year and has already started operating. We have formed a small group of highly engaged and fun people experimenting with PhilosophyGyms, written a EU project proposal to gather some funding (fingers crossed) and I am currently working on a paper to bring the concept of practical philosophy into the context of sustainability science and transformation research.

This is how I describe IPeP on the website:

“There are no easy solutions to the complex, interrelated challenges of the metacrisis. The metacrisis encompasses multiple crises such as global warming, social inequalities, scarcity of resources, species extinction, ocean acidification, increasing rates of depression, unpredictable technologies, post-truth rivalries, as well as an increasing divide within society. All these crises are characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Schellnhuber, 2002) and can be understood as wicked problems (Pryshlakivsky and Searcy, 2013).

The challenge of wicked problems is that they have no clearcut solutions. Traditional approaches that focus on “outer transformation” such as technologies, policies, or infrastructures, have their limitations because they ignore the deeper philosophical underpinnings of the problems. Some (e.g. Akomolafe, 2023) argue that the way we address the crisis is the crisis.

Scientists from various disciplines therefore increasingly emphasize that an exclusively outer transformation is insufficient, and that an inner, philosophical transformation is necessary for regenerative futures (Böhme et al. 2022; Ives et al. 2019). Philosophies underlie deep, systemic structures, mechanisms and changes and can thus be both a barrier to or driver to overcome the challenges of the metacrisis (Escobar 2017; Orr 2002).

To address inner transformation, we can built on practical philosophy. Practical philosophy has always been concerned with how we can train our philosophies in a practical and real-life way (Hadot 1995). Unlike medicine, law, or science, which provide concrete answers, practical philosophy encourages us to grapple with the unknown and to question our own assumptions. It brings to the centre the cultivation of individual and collective virtues for individual, societal and environmental regeneration (Caniglia et al. 2023).

„Philosophy was a mode of existing-in-the-world, which had to be practised at each instant, and the goal of which was to transform the whole of the individual’s life.“ Pierre Hadot

Philosophy is the inquiry into our understanding of reality, knowledge, and how we should live. As we assemble thoughts into coherent belief systems, we are essentially crafting philosophical frameworks. Similarly, when we discern between what is deemed good or bad, we draw upon philosophical foundations. How we design products, processes, or systems, depends on our philosophy. Philosophy is an inescapable facet of conscious experience, encompassing all dimensions of our understanding. Even to critique philosophy necessitates employing philosophical reasoning, a phenomenon known as the „performative contradiction”. Originating from ….philosophy.

While our perceptions often associate philosophy with abstract theoretical discourse, ancient philosophy transcended mere intellectual exercise to become a way of life. For philosophers like Seneca, philosophy served as a guide to action rather than idle discourse. For him it was about practical application over theoretical speculation. He said that “philosophy teaches us to act, not to speak.” Genuine philosophical knowledge was measured not solely by intellectual prowess but by its integration into one’s daily existence, manifesting as a fusion of truth and personal embodiment (Hadot 1995). This translation of the theoretical into the practical and back requires persistent training (this is what we prepare for at the PhilosophyGyms). As the late Ludwig Wittgenstein said about philosophy as a “form-of-life”: “The work in philosophy is really more a working on oneself” (De Miranda 2023).

Practical philosophy is a transformative, and largely overlooked, meta-technology.

„In one sense philosophy does nothing. It merely satisfies the entirely impractical craving to probe and adjust ideas which have been found adequate each in its special sphere of use. In the same way the ocean tides do nothing. Twice daily they beat upon the cliffs of continents and then retire. But have patience and look deeper; and you find that in the end whole continents of thought have been submerged by philosophic tides, and have been rebuilt in the depths awaiting emergence. The fate of humanity depends upon the ultimate continental faith by which it shapes its action, and this faith is in the end shaped by philosophy." Alfred North Whitehead

Currently, there is a lack of addressing these inner dimensions in sustainability approaches – especially in institutions – be it universities, schools or workplaces. There are no spaces, where such capacities can be practiced – except privately. What is lacking are institutionalised offerings where people can practice cultivating a philosophy collectively (Caniglia et al. 2023).

The goals of the IPeP are therefore:

• Enhancing philosophical health as a complement to psychological and physiological well-being.

• Facilitating the integration of inner (philosophical) dimensions to foster regenerative futures, supplementing technological, organizational, and political solutions.

• Mainstreaming the significance of practical philosophy in addressing the underlying causes of the metacrisis.

• Establishing a robust framework for practical philosophy and its role in shaping regenerative futures through peer-reviewed publications.

• Providing a philosophical groundwork to support multispecies citizenship.

The overarching aim of IPeP is to foster ^ekophilosophical health by helping people find, choose and live an ^ekophilosophy that aligns them to our times.”

The decision to establish an institute stemmed from a couple of key reasons. Firstly, I felt the need to move away from working alone and create a space where others could collaborate. Secondly, I realized that neither the newsletter nor I could adequately accommodate the diverse array of projects emerging. I wanted to provide these projects, which are as much research as they are practice oriented, a home in which they can cozy up and feel welcome in and from which they can travel without losing their roots. These projects have been homeless for quite some time and I craved to create an intellectual home for them and for myself. While the university serves as my practical base for experimentation, the demands of academia often limit my thinking. For me, IPeP is a space to cultivate practical philosophy as a meta-technology for guiding life: enabling better decision-making, ethical application, self-discovery, and alignment with truth, goodness, and beauty.

If you're interested in becoming a part of IPeP, I'd love to hear from you.

Healing, Hexen and Hummingbirds

Today is my birthday, and it has become a tradition for me to start a new art and research project on this day. These projects are ideas that have been on my mind for some time and that I believe require further exploration. The project I'm starting today will be the first research project at IPeP. The last one I extensively wrote about was titled "Fasting, Fractals, and Fungi." This year's research project will focus on "Healing, Hexen, and Hummingbirds."

Let me explain each one:

Healing: One aspect that I find particularly intriguing and promising, as I've discussed previously, is the notion of ^ekophilosophical health. I believe that while physical and psychological health are crucial, they may not be sufficient without philosophical health. I also believe planetary health depends on philosophical health. This encompasses both individual and collective philosophical health, which can be viewed as part of our social/ecological context, which amplifies how tightly entangled our physiology, psychology, and philosophy are with our planetary health. I want to explore how they are entangled, what unique aspects might ^ekophilosophical health offer that the others don’t, and how can it help us overcome the challenges of the metacrisis?

Also, the concept of health is very personal to me. As someone with an autoimmune disease navigating health issues is a fundamental part of my life. I don’t take being healthy for granted. It’s something I read tons of books about, talk to many experts, pay lots of money on and spend a considerate amount of my time on. However, grappling with these things has also led me to question the normativity of health as a concept, which raises further questions, such as: how can ^ekophilosophical health avoid being overly normative? To what extent might normative considerations be necessary or beneficial, particularly in the context of sustainability issues? And how can ^ekophilosophical health steer clear of becoming entangled in ideological pursuits?

Hexen: "Hexen" translates to "witches" in German. I personally consider the philosopher queen as akin to a witch. I have been fascinated with witchcraft for a while. The witchcraft I am interested in is what I’d describe - for lack of a better word - as metamodern witchcraft, that approaches the topic with sincere irony. I find such an approach in

The Oscillator's Stone

. While witchcraft is not confined to Europe, I view it as a form of European shamanism - my indigeniality. Throughout history, witches have been associated with healing practices. In ancient times, healers and herbalists possessing knowledge of medicinal plants were often labeled as witches. They provided care for entire communities, offering both physical and spiritual healing. "Green witchcraft" involves rituals aimed at environmental protection and health. Contemporary witchcraft includes energy work, herbalism, and crystal healing. Mostly, it’s not labeled as witch-ing.  I am curious about the potential of witch-ing for philosophical health. What role can and does witchcraft (or in the broader sense the occult) play in becoming philosophically healthy? In what ways does engaging in magical practices empower individuals and communities to address planetary challenges? How does magic intersect with broader philosophical discussions of agency, free will, and determinism? Which ontological shifts are necessary to integrate magic into our thinking?

Hummingbirds: To ensure that I remain mindful of the the ecological embeddedness of philosophical health, I'm extending an invitation to a non-human participant: hummingbirds.  I am absolutely fascinated with these creatures and my most memorable experiences with the non-human world involve them. I want to incorporate their perspective and ways of being into the project. Any healthy philosophy and philosophical practice is ecological at its core. But what does that even mean in the context of philosophical health? How do we perceive health (or illness) from a relational and ecological standpoint? Are ecosystems “naturally” healthy? What advice might a hummingbird give me in times of sickness? How might a hummingbird help me decide how to life my life? Is magic bound to humans or can a hummingbird practice magic?

Each of these questions is vast and could easily become a lifelong research pursuit on its own. What I find compelling is the opportunity to enmesh these different questions, allowing them to inform and enrich one another, to cross-fertilise each other and with that offer perspectives on ^ekophilosophical health that I haven’t thought of before. And that is the overarching goal - to further research ^ekophilosophical health, but in order to leave the silos and to enrich the current discourse on philosophical health, I want to break boundaries and explore the entanglements with Hexen and Hummingbirds. To me, it’s in those “new” relationships that something interesting might come up. Rather than fixating on a specific outcome for the project, I'm focused on the process itself—immersing myself in these topics not just intellectually, but also integrating them into my everyday experiences.

And with that I’ll enjoy the rest of my birthday by slipping into my bathing suit and going for a swim ☀️👙. The temperature is supposed to be 28°C (82°F) today, which is absolutely crazy and scary. It’s never been more than 16°C (60°F) on my birthday before - welcome to the Anthropocene.

1. eko spelled with a k - is inspired by a conversation with the fabulous Nathan Dufour Oglesby. I use a different spelling because I want to differentiate my thinking from Arne Naess’s ecosophopy. While I deeply appreciate his work and the deep ecology movement - and use many ideas generated from there - I also have some disagreements with some of the ideas. For instance, I believe that deep ecology often presents an overly optimistic or idealistic view of nature and human-nature relationships, overlooking the darker aspects of ecological interconnectedness such as the risk of collapse and the unpredictable consequences of human interventions. Additionally, using "eko" instead of "eco" signifies a departure from traditional ecology and environmentalism. When I think about ^ekophilosophies, I also include posthuman approaches, process philosophy, new materialism, 4E cognition, etc., which are typically not encompassed by the term "eco."