Abstract
This article examines social contract theory in the Anthropocene. Past and current social contract theories have a narrowly conceived conception of human that pits humans against nonhumans. This article suggests new parameters for a social contract for the Anthropocene, which has as its focus humans, animals, and nature. Based on the thinking of Brian Elliott, this article suggests that a politics of environmental catastrophe will not encourage the adoption of a post- or more-than human social contract. Instead, political engagement must focus on the relationship between capitalism and climate change in order to create new economic, political and social systems.
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Wahlrab, A. (2023). Social Contract Theory. In: Wallenhorst, N., Wulf, C. (eds) Handbook of the Anthropocene. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25910-4_197
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25910-4_197
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