Doers and breakthroughs: How does metabolism matter?
A philosophical look at metabolism
We think of all kinds of things as metabolism these days (urban metabolism, industrial metabolism), but is that even possible? Metabolism is Greek for change, transformation. It captures the idea that life is constantly in flux, never standing still. So it helps us to being understanding. Because we are metabolic, we are always in the process of becoming. We are in constant interaction with the smallest microscopic life forms, as well as global technological material flows. Indeed, the environment and you co-constitute each other. This is an infinite process, a dance between all life forms and the ecosystems in which they are embedded. So metabolism makes us think not only about our own being, but rather how it is related to other being on all sorts of layers. Time to think firmly about the phenomenon of metabolism.
Julia Rijssenbeek explains what is at stake with metabolism thinking. Lisa Doeland asks the question of "eating well" and also asks how we deal with the indigestible. How does our metabolism actually relate to all the technological gadgets, equipment, infrastructure that are accumulating around us and depleting the planet? That question is posed by Roel Vervaart. According to Yvonne Faber, plants are exploited for production purposes because of their metabolic qualities. How can we treat plants differently?
Location: ARTIS-Groote Museum, Amsterdam
Time: 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Date: June 1
Speakers: Lisa Doeland, Julia Rijssenbeek, Roel Vervaart and Yvonne Faber.
Admission: Admission to museum, or free with museum annual pass