Wilderness Ethics in the Anthropocene

Abstract

Abstract The concept of wilderness has been deconstructed with the arrival of the age of Anthropocene, so the wilderness ethics of the Anthropocene was once ignored. But in fact, what has been deconstructed is only the “natural” wilderness as pure nature, not the “untrammeled” wilderness. In addition, the environmental system corresponding to the traditional wilderness concept still exists, and is still the closest to the original natural environmental system. There is a debate on how to treat this environmental system in the age of Anthropocene, so it is necessary to clarify the concept of wilderness in the Anthropocene and rebuild the wilderness ethics. The wilderness ethics of Anthropocene is a responsive one, which calls for both sides to interact and blend without denying the autonomy of both sides: On the one hand, we should establish a holistic view of harmonious coexistence between man and the wilderness, basing on the ideological basis provided by the Anthropocene to break the binary opposition between culture and nature. The view does not include a sacred order. On the other hand, we should affirm the autonomy and uncertainty of the “untrammeled” wilderness. The wilderness ethics of the Anthropocene enlightens us that we should regulate the intervention of human and technology in a certain range when protecting the wilderness, respect “locality” and derive ecological wisdom from indigenous peoples.