[Online] Real or Replica: The Essence of Nature and Its Relevance for Our Lives

While contemporary discussions revolve around the imperative of preserving nature, sometimes at the expense of our personal freedoms, the emergence of synthetic nature introduces a blurred boundary between what is natural and what is artificial. This phenomenon invites us to contemplate the potential consequences of immersing ourselves in flawless replicas of the natural world, ranging from artificial turf becoming increasingly commonplace to the advent of holographic displays of nature. Beyond the technical obstacles associated with such a scenario, is there any compelling reason why it would matter for our human lives whether nature is real rather than a mere copy? During her talk, Maria will address this question by examining the distinction between real and manmade nature, and will explore some of the ways in which the former may hold significance for human existence.

This talk is part of our collaborative series with the Bombay Institute for Critical Analysis &…