From Homo Sapiens-Demens to Earth-Homeland explores the philosophical and ethical implications of Edgar Morin’s thought, guiding the reader through a journey from the mechanistic view of classical science to the new paradigm of complexity. It examines the epistemological revolution that emerged with thermodynamics, quantum physics, and systems theory, showing how these scientific developments have reintroduced uncertainty, temporality, and creativity into our understanding of reality. At the centre of this transformation stands the human being—no longer an isolated subject separated from the world, but a living, cognitive, and emotional system woven into the web of life.
Through Morin’s idea of homo complexus, both rational (sapiens) and emotional (demens), the book redefines the human condition as an interdependent unity of individual, society, and species. The argument culminates in the proposal of an eco-ethics—a planetary ethics grounded in self-organization, solidarity, and ecological responsibility. Drawing on the Gaia hypothesis by Lovelock and Margulis, it calls for the recognition of the Earth as a living homeland (Terre-Patrie), where humanity must re-learn to inhabit rather than to dominate.
Interdisciplinary in its approach, this work weaves together philosophy, science, and ecology, bridging the gap between humanistic and scientific culture. It offers an accessible yet rigorous reflection for readers interested in complexity theory, environmental thought, and the renewal of ethics in the Anthropocene.
From Homo Sapiens-Demens to Earth-Homeland explores the philosophical and ethical implications of Edgar Morin’s thought, guiding the reader through a journey from the mechanistic view of classical science to the new paradigm of complexity. It examines the epistemological revolution that emerged with thermodynamics, quantum physics, and systems theory, showing how these scientific developments have reintroduced uncertainty, temporality, and creativity into our understanding of reality. At the centre of this transformation stands the human being—no longer an isolated subject separated from the world, but a living, cognitive, and emotional system woven into the web of life.
Through Morin’s idea of homo complexus, both rational (sapiens) and emotional (demens), the book redefines the human condition as an interdependent unity of individual, society, and species. The argument culminates in the proposal of an eco-ethics—a planetary ethics grounded in self-organization, solidarity, and ecological responsibility. Drawing on the Gaia hypothesis by Lovelock and Margulis, it calls for the recognition of the Earth as a living homeland (Terre-Patrie), where humanity must re-learn to inhabit rather than to dominate.
Interdisciplinary in its approach, this work weaves together philosophy, science, and ecology, bridging the gap between humanistic and scientific culture. It offers an accessible yet rigorous reflection for readers interested in complexity theory, environmental thought, and the renewal of ethics in the Anthropocene.
Emanuela Giorgianni
Complexity theory Earth-homeland Eco-ethics Edgar Morin Environmental humanities Gaia hypothesis Homo sapiens–demens Human ecology Planetary humanism Sustainability Ethics