Arne Ness's deep ecology: essence and modern dimension

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the research is due to the deepening global environmental crisis, which requires a revision of the fundamental foundations of the interaction between humanity and nature. In an environment where technological solutions and "superficial" environmental protection measures demonstrate their insufficiency, there is an increasing interest in radical philosophical systems that offer a holistic rethinking of man's place in the biosphere. One of these systems is deep ecology, developed by the Norwegian philosopher Arne Ness, whose ideas had a significant impact on the formation of modern ecological consciousness and gave impetus to the development of diverse, including radical, environmental movements. The purpose of the article is to define the essence and possibilities of Arne Ness's philosophy of deep ecology in modern society. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the systematic consideration of the transformation of deep ecology, in comparison with social ecology, as well as in the analysis of the relevance of its principles in the context of the challenges of a modern digital society, where technological development requires a new understanding of ecocentric ethics. Materials and methods. The research methods used are a historical and philosophical analysis of the texts of Arne Ness and his followers, a comparative analysis of the concepts of deep and social ecology, as well as a discourse analysis of public statements by ecoradicals and program documents of radical environmental movements. The results of the study demonstrate that deep ecology, with its principles of biospheric egalitarianism and the intrinsic value of all living things, has offered a powerful alternative to the anthropocentric paradigm. However, it is precisely these radical biocentric positions, divorced from the socio-economic context that have been harshly criticized by social environmentalists and subsequently used by a number of movements to justify ecofascist and Malthusian views. Discussion. In modern conditions of digital transformation, it is impossible to unilaterally follow any one environmental concept. Deep ecology forms the necessary value and worldview foundation, which makes it possible to direct the potential of digital technologies to restore ecological balance, rather than to further exploit natural systems. Social ecology, in turn, creates opportunities for analysis and practical resolution of socio-ecological contradictions, exacerbated in the digital reality. The main conclusion of the work is the proof of the need to synthesize the principles of deep and social ecology to meet the challenges of the digital age.