Science and Society's Views of the Anthropocene

Abstract

Stratigraphers’ recent vote to reject the Anthropocene as a geological epoch could have consequences beyond geology, as many other disciplines have adopted the term. This review focuses on the potential effects of this negative vote on the humanities and social sciences by drawing on perspectives from science and society. It argues that stratigraphers’ negative vote is likely to have little effect on other disciplines because most humanists and social scientists are not using the stratigraphic term. Instead, they understand the Anthropocene as shorthand for human-caused environmental change, which is clearly occurring. Humanists and social scientists also remain interested in the Anthropocene because the collapsing distinction between the human and the geological continues to present challenges worth engaging with. While the diverse interpretations and engagements with the Anthropocene may result in incoherence, this review summarizes literature that suggests that this plurality of meanings is what gives the Anthropocene concept its strength.The Anthropocene is likely to remain a key concept in the humanities and social sciences, despite stratigraphers’ rejection of the epoch. ▪ The Anthropocene means different things to different disciplines. These multiple meanings are likely to persist. ▪ A plurality of meanings and usages of the Anthropocene captures how knowledge is produced and may spur environmental solutions.