Visions and Ecologies: A comparative analysis on human-nature relationship

Drawing on contributions to the conference Natures and Human Nature. Ethics, Aesthetics, Ecologies. A Comparative Approach, held on April 24, 2024, this article proposes a reading based on Douglas, Vildavsky and Thompson’s Cultural Theory of different “visions” of the natural world. Cultural theory posits that there are four cultural configurations or worldviews that influence how human beings represent their relationships with the environment and how they think about themselves. Individualists believe that nature is robust and benign and that human beings are autonomous and driven by self-interest. Hierarchical groupings perceive nature as a stable system governed by authoritative positions. In such a society, individuals are regarded as passive and require governance by robust and reliable institutions. Egalitarianism views nature as delicate and interconnected, highlighting reciprocal care and equality as fundamental principles. Fatalism embraces a perspective characterized by chaos, wherein neither nature nor humanity adheres to a discernible or rational order. Ethnographic experiences and theoretical reflections demonstrate how these configurations can be useful when evaluating both field research results and disciplinary epistemological frameworks.