No Critique Fatigue, Not Now Ecocentric Ethics in Contemporary SF Literature

Abstract

This study asks whether an ecocentric ethics in contemporary science fiction can guide our real-world ethics. The ideal ethics and its problem, this thesis clarifies, celebrates otherness as much as egalitarianism and has human and nonhuman concerns alike. We should value and thus aim to protect all the living and the non-living, and yet it seems impossible to protect them all simultaneously. Based on theories from posthumanism, environmental philosophy, ecofeminism, and biopolitics this thesis argues that humanist discrimination practices must not be avoided, as this would be irresponsible, but should be constantly scrutinized and critiqued. Additionally, our theorizing should be double edged: impatiently engaged in lessening suffering for the most vulnerable among us now and patiently working to broaden our ethics for tomorrow. Science fiction is particularly suited for such new moral imaginings as they more freely than other genres explore the consequences of untested epistemological paradigms and technologies by animating them as fully operational. This study examines the ethical models of two contemporary SF novels: a posthuman vision offered in Margaret Atwood’s novel MaddAddam (2013) and a humanist one offered by Ben Marcus’ novel The Flame Alphabet (2012). Atwood’s model of an ecocentric ethics comes far in levelling out interspecies and inter-human inequalities but perpetuates speciesism and paternalism, suggesting that ecocentrism is a fine idea but impractical for actual world building. The Flame Alphabet demonstrates how damaging it is to use our own suffering as a justification to inflict harm on others as we only risk putting ourselves in the dark abyss of pain too. It also shows that a sufficient ecocentric ethics must include a theory of uses of language. Moreover, this study includes a story from the real world which illustrates how grim and counter-productive our actions may turn out if we refuse to make compromises with our Great All-Inclusive Ethics. Finally, this thesis proposes that literary critique can contribute to an ecocentric ethics by encouraging palimpsest interpretation.