Flora in Focus:
Tracing the Roots of Plants in History, Philosophy & Society

The history and philosophy of biology have long been characterized by a bias towards the animal kingdom. Concepts such as behavior, individuality, and species have predominantly been shaped and philosophically examined with a focus on metazoans, often overlooking the inherent inconsistencies these definitions exhibit when applied to organisms outside the animal kingdom. Furthermore, examinations in the history of biology often display a preference for animals, occasionally reducing the intricate history of plant biology to mere botany. This tendency results in neglecting significant past advancements in plant physiology, morphology, and behavioral research. However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in science and society towards a more serious consideration of plants and their unique characteristics – both in scientific and agricultural settings. This vegetal turn is propelled by an increasing number of scholars in biology, history and philosophy of science, as well as in cultural studies, who no longer view plants as passive and inert objects but as active, communicative, and agential subjects that shape their surroundings and engage in various environmental relationships. This shift is accompanied by debates on concepts like plant intelligence, as well as on the advantages and dangers of anthropomorphizing plants. Simultaneously, in this vegetal turn, plants take center stage in the face of global environmental challenges, from climate change to environmental pollution, which shake prevailing standards of food production.

The aim of this workshop is to bring plants into focus by discussing their relevance for pressing scientific and societal questions. The workshop will explore this relevance by looking at its (i) historical, (ii) philosophical, and (iii) social dimensions.

(i) Historical dimensions
The history of plant biology is extensive and complex, with a lineage deeply rooted in the history of (natural) philosophy and biology. It spans from the different assessments of Aristotle and his pupil, the ‘father of botany’, Theophrastus, to Darwin’s comprehensive studies on plant movements and Barbara McClintock’s ‘feeling for the organism’, which led her to uncover the remarkable genetic versatility of maize plants. Especially current debates on vegetal agency and sentience are best understood against the backdrop of enduring discussions in the history of philosophy and biology. We aim to explore past debates on plant concepts like communication, plasticity, and agency, uncovering their origins and trajectories. Our focus extends to understanding the role of plant reasoning in evolutionary biology, biophysics, and physiology. Additionally, we aim to clarify historical shifts in the relationship between botany and philosophy as well as between plant research and agriculture, and to understand how the study of plants became an independent field. Further inquiries could focus on historical changes in social structures, funding dynamics, and the impact of institutional settings like botanical gardens, collections, and museums. We also are interested in the role of women in botany, colonialism’s influence on plant knowledge acquisition, and the potential for decolonizing plant science while valuing traditional knowledge. A recurrent theme in the history of plant biology is the neglect of botanical discoveries until confirmed in other organisms. This leads to the question how we can recover suppressed or forgotten past knowledge from the study of plants, potentially yielding essential insights into biological mechanisms in general

(ii) Philosophical dimensions
Theoretical attempts to understand plants on their own terms face various challenges. For example, questions arise about how to conceptualize biological individuality and organismality in the context of plants, especially when considering plants’ complex symbiotic relationships with other organisms (esp. microbes). Exploring plant agency, intelligence, or neurobiology raises queries about their unique teleological properties distinct from animals. Understanding how plants engage with their environment over developmental and evolutionary time compared to animals adds another layer of complexity.

Additionally, in this workshop, we aim to investigate whether plants can inspire new conceptual and theoretical perspectives and ways of relating to the world. What are the biases and shortcomings of zoocentric thinking and how can we overcome them? Is a new ‘vegetal ontology’ necessary to address plants? And: If we accept the notion of plants as agential organisms, does this even make necessary the development of (new) plant ethics? Besides these issues, considerations about plants also present methodological challenges tied to emerging digital technologies, data collection, storage, and distribution, as well as questions about choosing and working with model organisms in different field vs. laboratory settings, to name just a few topics. In taxonomy, various challenges emerge when describing and categorizing vascular plants, algae, fungi, and unicellular organisms with intricate phylogenies.

(iii) Social/Cultural dimensions
Although the concept of a fundamental divide between nature and culture is deeply entrenched in Western thinking, the reciprocal influence between humans and plants dates back to the beginning of humankind. Other knowledge systems, such as indigenous and religious narratives, acknowledge this relationship, offering potential for new ways of understanding plants. Today’s ecological crises undeniably demonstrate our intricate link with the natural world, particularly the plant realm. As plants endure man-made challenges like climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss, they simultaneously offer potential solutions to mitigate these issues.

Our entire existence relies on plants, which provide resources for food, medicine, housing, and more. In the agricultural sector, humans engage with plants in diverse and complex ways. We aim to examine recent developments and challenges at the plant-human interface, such as data usage and digitalization in food production, as well as the economic and scientific forces that support and oppose the establishment of monocultures. Related to that, we are interested in how shifts in the public and scientific conceptualization of plants impact these areas, and, more generally, how our relationship with the plant kingdom can evolve from one of exploitation to one of mutual benefit and care.

 

This workshop will bring together scholars from history and philosophy of science and technology, and biologists who have expertise in diverse theoretical, historical, socio-cultural and methodological problems related to plants and plant research.

Organization
Vera Straetmanns & Jan Baedke
Department of Philosophy I
Ruhr University Bochum