The moral rights of nature, and especially the rights of ecosystems, have been difficult to establish within the conceptual boundaries of traditional moral theories. Underlying assumptions of...Show moreThe moral rights of nature, and especially the rights of ecosystems, have been difficult to establish within the conceptual boundaries of traditional moral theories. Underlying assumptions of interests and individuality, as well as complications with adequately defining ecosystems, have culminated into what I call the ecosystem dilemma. In this thesis, I argue that these ontological and ethical problems can be resolved by employing Indigenous traditional knowledge (TK), represented by Mi'kmaq concepts such as netukulimk. By expanding our ways of thinking about the world and our place within it, we can break the ecosystem dilemma. Utilizing the Mi'kmaq's holistic approach to the environment supports the case for the moral concern of ecosystems. Yet, no single point of view should dominate the discussion – the 'map of moral concern' aims to collect different concepts that are to be used in coadjuvancy to resolve moral dilemmas. Cooperation can be achieved by combining values (traditional Western thinking) and employing two-eyed seeing (Mi'kmaq TK). My thesis tries to showcase the value of immersing oneself fully in a different way of thinking to resolve well-documented problems – essentially this is an argument for radical openmindedness to ultimately strengthen the concept of moral rights of nature.Show less
Research on ecosystem resilience and climate-ecosystem interactions is extremely complex due to the large variety of factors that play a role. This research aimed at determining which factors are...Show moreResearch on ecosystem resilience and climate-ecosystem interactions is extremely complex due to the large variety of factors that play a role. This research aimed at determining which factors are involved in ecosystem resilience, which methods are needed to research this, and how archaeology can contribute to such research. The influence of the 8.2 ka climate event on the natural environment of Tell Sabi Abyad served as a case study for larger-scale research on ecosystem resilience. This study presents critical notes to the assumption that the changes which took place in Tell Sabi Abyad at the timing of the 8.2 event were a consequence of climate change. First, the timing of the changes in Tell Sabi Abyad is earlier than the timing of the expected impact of the 8.2 event. In addition, the botanical records of Tell Sabi Abyad do not indicate a climate deterioration. As no direct influences of the 8.2 event have been observed, it is likely that the natural environment of Tell Sabi Abyad had a level of resilience that was high enough to cope with the sudden effects of the 8.2 climate perturbation. Possibly other factors, like anthropogenic influences or cultural development, account for the changes observed in the archaeological material of Tell Sabi Abyad. Furthermore, this study shows that archaeology can form a valuable contribution to research on ecosystem resilience if future research would focus on wild plant and animal species and long term ecosystem changes. This would enable research on the direct effects of climate change. By combining the archaeological results found in such research, a dataset can be made with information on the characteristics of ecosystems with different levels of resilience and different levels of environmental impact.Show less
