The new virus that has changed the daily life of the world, global warming that threatens the'breath' of mankind, and the disasters and crises that threaten the'survival' of mankind are telling all of us that we must live in a different way from now on.
Here are some scholars who have looked at the current situation from the point of view of the'anthropogenic tax'.
In SDF2020's <Unexperienced World: New Conditions of Survival>, which ended on the 30th of last month, three professors said'Anthropogenic Tax','Natural Contract', and'Air'. To tell the story.
For those of you who missed SDF2020, I would like to briefly introduce the contents of the lecture that are not worth knowing alone.
'Anthropocene' is a geological term that means that human activities have made a distinct change in the global environment and as a result a new geological age has begun.
Park Beom-soon, director of the KAIST Anthropocene Research Center, argued that the crisis situation faced by the entire human race should be considered from the perspective of the Anthropocene.
It is necessary to change the perspective of seeing the current crisis situation as a problem that began with the survival crisis of other living things beyond humans.
Prof. Park referred to Camus's novel'Pest' and said that'Pest' does not simply refer to a fungus, but refers to a microscopic network formed between a fungus and a mouse and a person.
Professor Park also argued that the microscopic network of'bacteria-animal-human' could reappear when the relationship between human groups changes significantly.
In other words, the pandemic (a global pandemic) took place through routes created by global trade, colonial conquest, aggression and looting, and the political, economic, and social systems that supported it also played a decisive role in the spread of the plague.
Professor Park said that pandemic occurs when a change in the way of coexistence between humans and non-humans and between humans occurs due to human activities, so it is an important opportunity to reflect on human activities rather than think naturally. Explained that it should be seen.
It is no coincidence that the Corona 19 pandemic took place at this very moment, which means that it is a warning to all mankind.
Professor Park said we should now worry about habitable survival rather than dreaming of sustainable development.
Subsequently, Professor Hongjoong Kim of the Department of Sociology at Seoul National University explained that material is also an important human partner from the perspective of a'natural contract'.
Professor Kim argued that the 21st century is a time when a full contract with such non-humans is requested, and society should make a new contract with substances such as carbon dioxide, microplastics, antibiotics, pesticides, and environmental hormones.
And he said one of them was a virus.
Professor Kim also explained that animals, plants, and microorganisms are'symbiotic citizens' who create the earth materially with humans, and our survival is not separated from their survival.
Humans must recognize the power and existence of non-humans and seek more practical ways to contract the world with them.
Professor Kim explained that in 2020, we are experiencing a civilized process of transitioning from the age of humans to the era of coexistence of life, and Corona 19 is a disaster that everyone feels with their whole body.
He urged mankind to consider the direction of natural contracts beyond social contracts in order to overcome the survival crisis that is coming to our lives.
This is a suggestion of a reflection of anthropocentricism that has dominated us for many years.
Professor Chi-Hyung Jeon of KAIST Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy viewed the current situation with the keyword'air crisis'.
He said that heat waves, fine dust, hot air, dirty air, and dangerous air that appeared in the name of Corona 19 not only make our bodies sick, but also change our way of life and social relationships.
He explained that through these crises,'social relations' soon became synonymous with'air relations', and the question of how to share the air became an important social issue.
He added that reorganizing the air is reorganizing society, which requires new scientific knowledge, new norms, and new institutions.
He argued that the rich and the poor breathed different air, and that the air crisis is not unfolding equally for everyone.
In addition, he said that the way of responding to the air crisis varies from country to country.
Professor Jeon argued that as we survived the air crisis, we should pay attention to'the science of the public','the science of care' and'the science of solidarity'.
The air is not only in front of each person, and the air crisis is not just an individual's problem, so the air must be recognized as a community's, and science is necessary to diagnose, manage and improve this'air of the community'.
Professor Jeon also stressed that the'science of care' that finds weak spots in our society, fills holes, and supports it so that it does not collapse, is essential.
He said that in order to deal with the problem of cross-border air, there is also a need for'the science of solidarity' in which data, equipment and people move together across borders.
Professor Jeon has confusion and fear in front of the'air threat' that he has not experienced, but through this, mankind can discover the value of a new community and science, and the rediscovered science remains in the community even after the current air crisis. I predicted that it would help humanity.