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Micro-Landscapes of the Anthropocene

Abundance or Extinction?

I’d like to conclude my last connection back to the initial concept; the emergence of the chimera due to technological developments generated from human inventions. Much like the chaos surrounding the unknowing butterfly, I question whether technological innovation is the infectious mold that will break down the illusion of abundance and progression? Has it become the forerunner in leading humanity down the inevitable threatening path of extinction? Suggested as an independent force on human existence, philosopher Martin Heidegger saw most clearly that modern technology has its own point of view which is completely separate from any other structure of human aims and purposes. Although generated by a post-humanistic approach founded on relationality to cross ontological boundaries and combine technology – human – and nature, I question whether this approach is humane as it sounds. The tension amongst these margins are at a peak as ethical considerations in chimera research is blurred in the scientific field. Injecting human cells and tissues in animal hosts creates a loophole for humans to exterminate innocent lives and harvest organs for their own anthropocentric purpose which you can learn more about here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwVROu0z5Bw
Such a short-lived and mistreated existence from the chimeras should encourage us to apply a biophilic life approach urged by Edward Wilson (as discussed in the previous note), to encourage to use natural communities not for their needs, but for working together to create long and sustaining lives.

Tash

Schultz, R. A. (2016). Modern technology and human extinction. Proceedings of Informing Science & IT Education Conference (In SITE) 2016, 131-145. Retrieved from http://www.informingscience.org/Publications/3433

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Extinctions: Photo Essay A photographic exploration of the meaning and impermanence of death and extinction
Butterfly Effect
The butterfly is a symbol of the inherent chaos of our world , and the constant flux of time. A butterfly can flap its wings and cause a tsunami on the other side of the world. The death of a butterfly could change the course of history forever, but how would we ever know?

Ammonite
Fossils are representative of deep time. This ammonite draws us down and down, a descending staircase into a prehistoric world humans are incapable of understanding.

Bison Skulls
A monument to death. Too many skulls to properly comprehend the slaughter that took place show how close we came to exterminating yet another species, and the tenacity of life and it's ability to recover from even human-induced disaster.

Dead Thylacine
Here, however, a single dead animal shows the death of an entire species. A hunter proudly displays his trophy , and in this image we can see the last of an entire family of unique creatures.

Chaos Theory
But fossils, death, extinction, these are all dependent on our understanding of time as linear, as inflexible, as unchanging. But the world is chaos and existence isn't limited to the three dimensions humans are capable of understanding. To presume so would be the height of human arrogance. The past and future influence the present, and death and extinction are merely the result of our limited viewpoint.