German Philosophy Goes Green: The Ecological Imperative of Hans Jonas
2:00 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008
Webster Hall Auditorium
Admission: free

The German-Jewish philosopher Hans Jonas (1903-1993) is often credited with galvanizing the environmental movement in Germany and inspiring many of the founding principles of the Green Party. In his classic work from 1979, Das Prinzip Hoffnung (translated as The Imperative of Responsibility), he formulates a basic ethical principle that would later become known as his “ecological imperative”: “Act in such a manner that the effects of your actions are compatible with the permanence of human life on earth.” Jonas was the first German philosopher to develop a system of ethics that is not restricted to human interactions but that also considers the well-being of the planet on which we live and ultimately depend. Jonas’ book contains a long critique of our traditional Western attitudes toward nature and provides moral directives for a future sustainable mode of life. It is strange that his theories largely go ignored in North American environmental discourse, especially since he settled in New York after the Nazi takeover and even started publishing in English. But his influence back in Germany, a country he vowed never to revisit due to the Holocaust, is significant. Professor Ireton’s talk will expose students to Jonas’ major ideas and then trace his impact on contemporary German environmentalism, particularly on the politics of the Greens.

Sean Ireton, an associate professor of German at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has a Ph.D. in German Studies from the University of Washington. His research interests generally encompass the intersections between philosophy and literature. His recently published book, An Ontological Study of Death: From Hegel to Heidegger (2007), examines interpretations of death by Hegel, Hölderlin, Nietzsche, Rilke, and Heidegger. Dr. Ireton’s next book project traces the evolution of both German and American attitudes toward nature in the realms of philosophy, literature, and politics.