Philosophical Animism

In my current research, I am looking at the concept of philosophical animism, first coined by an ecofeminist philosopher called Val Plumwood. Whilst animism can be defined as an object or entity having a living soul or spirit (for example, a tree or rock may have a conscious spirit residing within it), philosophical animism is slightly different and may be an easier concept for people to incorporate into their lives.

Philosophical animism is Plumwood’s way of challenging the dominant Western view that nature is inert, passive, and separate from humanity. It is this Western view, of nature as a backdrop to human life, which is responsible for the ecocide, species extinctions and environmental damage we have witnessed (and continue to witness) over the past few centuries. Instead, Plumwood proposes a worldview in which non-human beings such as animals, plants, rivers, and landscapes, are recognized as active, communicative participants in the world, and not just resources or scenery. By recognising the rest of nature as vibrant and having its own agency, we can begin to learn how to listen, respond and participate in mutual relationships rather than controlling or extracting.

So, philosophical animism is not about literally believing that every rock or tree has a human-like mind or soul, but is more about undoing the Western cultural habit of denying liveliness, meaning, and agency to the world beyond humans. For Plumwood, philosophical animism could enable a corrective action to centuries of damaging anthropocentrism.