sábado, 12 de outubro de 2024

A transdisciplinary concept that has stood the test of time and is of increasing interest to a growing number of researchers

 


Concerning the highly cited book referenced in the previous post, it is worth noting that it draws upon another equally significant work, in which the biologist Jakob von Uexküll introduced the concept of "Umwelt." 

This concept pertains to the idea that each organism perceives the world in a unique way, based on its specific sensory capacities, suggesting that there is no singular, objective world but rather a plurality of worlds coexisting within the same physical space https://monoskop.org/images/1/1d/Uexkuell_Jakob_von_A_Stroll_Through_the_Worlds_of_Animals_and_Men_A_Picture_Book_of_Invisible_Worlds.pdf

A search in the Scopus database for the terms "umwelt AND uexkull" returns over 1,700 publications (as depicted in the cumulative progression above), highlighting the broad influence of this concept across global academic communities. Interestingly, while the concept has had a relatively smaller impact within biology, it has been widely embraced by scholars in other disciplines. According to Scopus, the three fields most engaged with the concept of Umwelt are the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Psychology, with the Humanities alone accounting for over 50% of these publications.

One thing is certain: the concept of Umwelt encompasses dimensions that clearly transcend the biological realm, as evidenced by the question: If each organism "inhabits" a unique sensory world, to what extent can we assert the existence of an objective reality, and how can we be sure that everything is not merely a sensory illusion, akin to the hypothesis put forward by philosopher Nick Bostrom? https://academic.oup.com/pq/article-abstract/53/211/243/1610975