The Neg-Entropocene: An Ecological Rethinking of Stiegler’s Neganthropology

Abstract Does it make sense to read Bernard Stiegler as an ethical and/or ecological thinker? I argue that we can and should do both, together. Stiegler offers one of the best analyses of the current state of the world, or more precisely of life on Earth, and also presents a sophisticated outline of how we can transform the Anthropocene into what he calls the Neganthropocene. This paper focuses both on his analysis and his proposals, with particular attention to their ethical and ecological elements. I argue that Stiegler’s general organology, and specifically his pharmacology and neganthropology, are inherently ethical concepts. Stiegler identifies negentropy as a value for which we should strive. However, I question his claim that the entropization or proletarianization of human beings is the cause of the entropization of life on Earth in general. We need to focus on the entropic effect of technology not only in relation to humans but simultaneously in relation to life in general, which means we must focus on its environmental impact. Hence, the environmental must be integrated into our thinking about the ethical task of humankind, and Stiegler’s general organology has the power to do this.