Language epistemology and more than human ethics:
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21814/anthropocenica.5778Keywords:
Multi-species ethnography, Language epistemology, Human exceptionalism, Chthulucenic narratives, Multi-species ethics.Abstract
In contemporary linguistics, there exists a notable emphasis on extractive knowledge paradigms, often relegating non-human forms of communication to peripheral status. This article seeks to challenge such anthropocentric perspectives by delving into an intimate cosmology, a space shared closely with plants and insects. Drawing from situated ethnographic data, this study explores philosophically the complicity of scientific discourse with an extractivist planetary ethics as the author examines the significance of joint attention, performative mutuality, and symbolic communion in interspecies meaning-affect experience. Exploring the possibilities of a sympoiethics, which foregrounds the interconnectedness of all life forms, the study reveals how insects offer profound insights into the unexplored dimensions of language, performativity, and joined attention. By interrogating conventional notions of linguistic privilege and human exceptionalism, the article advocates for a more inclusive understanding of communication ethics—one that acknowledges the agency and significance of non-human communicators. Ultimately, this research underscores the political relevance of recognizing and honoring diverse forms of linguistic existence in fostering a more equitable coexistence on our shared planet.
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