MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Event

Feb 20, 2019
Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future: "Biodiversity—Ecological and Legal Fundamental Research in Exchange"

  • 17:00 to 19:00

5th event of the Lecture and Discussion Series

Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future

of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science

Biodiversity—Ecological and Legal Fundamental Research in Exchange

The “Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future” series has set itself the objective of creating a forum in the Max Planck Society in order to discuss how researchers from widely differing disciplines can make contributions to the solution of urging challenges regarding the future development of mankind and the latter’s dynamically changing relationship with nature and technology. However, which knowledge do we have to generate for such solutions to emerge? Where are its limits? And where do new potentials lie?

It is precisely within this array of questions that the issue of global diversity can be located. The debate on the value of species diversity, which has long been held publicly, is currently kindled by the fact that biodiversity is acutely jeopardized. The recently published Living Planet Report of the WWF has made it clear that livestock resources have rapidly declined in the past decades and that we have to prepare for the collapse of entire ecosystems. Thus, there is meanwhile a fundamental, if not outright existential, question as to the effects that the widespread deaths of insects, birds and mammals living in the wild will have not only on the functioning of ecosystems but also on human societies, and which countermeasures are needed.

The discussion evening would like to elucidate the subject of biodiversity from three perspectives and deal with questions relating to the connection between reduced biodiversity and social futures. An introductory lecture will present the dimension of insect mortality. A second lecture will establish the connection between habitat changes induced by humans and bird migration and bird mortality. The third lecture will present the issue of animal rights and the options for human action derived from them.

The conference language is English.

 

Direction Harnack-Haus
Organizer(s)
Address
Harnack House, Conference Venue of the Max Planck Society, Ihnestraße 16-20, 14195 Berlin, Germany
2019-02-20T17:00:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2019-02-20 17:00:00 2019-02-20 19:00:00 Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future: "Biodiversity—Ecological and Legal Fundamental Research in Exchange" 5th event of the Lecture and Discussion Series Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science Biodiversity—Ecological and Legal Fundamental Research in Exchange The “Fundamental Research and Shaping the Future” series has set itself the objective of creating a forum in the Max Planck Society in order to discuss how researchers from widely differing disciplines can make contributions to the solution of urging challenges regarding the future development of mankind and the latter’s dynamically changing relationship with nature and technology. However, which knowledge do we have to generate for such solutions to emerge? Where are its limits? And where do new potentials lie? It is precisely within this array of questions that the issue of global diversity can be located. The debate on the value of species diversity, which has long been held publicly, is currently kindled by the fact that biodiversity is acutely jeopardized. The recently published Living Planet Report of the WWF has made it clear that livestock resources have rapidly declined in the past decades and that we have to prepare for the collapse of entire ecosystems. Thus, there is meanwhile a fundamental, if not outright existential, question as to the effects that the widespread deaths of insects, birds and mammals living in the wild will have not only on the functioning of ecosystems but also on human societies, and which countermeasures are needed. The discussion evening would like to elucidate the subject of biodiversity from three perspectives and deal with questions relating to the connection between reduced biodiversity and social futures. An introductory lecture will present the dimension of insect mortality. A second lecture will establish the connection between habitat changes induced by humans and bird migration and bird mortality. The third lecture will present the issue of animal rights and the options for human action derived from them. The conference language is English.   Harnack House, Conference Venue of the Max Planck Society, Ihnestraße 16-20, 14195 Berlin, Germany Europe/Berlin public