Panel: DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOUS BIO-EQUALITY: EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS IN RELIGIOUS CONTEXTS



215.5 - CULTURE, ECONOMY AND HUMAN DIGNITY: REFLECTIONS ON NON-ANTHROPOCENTRIC ETHICS

AUTHORS:
Strappati G. (Guest/Invited Visiting Professor at: Florida State University, USA; Instituto Superior de Música J. Hernández, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Conservatorio Statale G. Verdi, Ravenna, Italy ~ Ancona ~ Italy)
Text:
Contemporary cultural production raises pressing questions about the ethical evaluation of human and non-human agents, as well as the social and economic structures in which creativity unfolds. This paper examines these issues from a religious and ethical perspective, situating human cultural activity within broader considerations that encompass animals, plants, and the environment. The paper aims to explore how economic and cultural systems shape the moral and spiritual value of creative work, and how religious and ethical frameworks can offer non-anthropocentric approaches to understanding human dignity in relation to other forms of life. Methodologically, it combines conceptual analysis of key ethical notions—such as creativity, agency, and dignity—with illustrative case studies of contemporary cultural and economic practices, including art, music, and cultural labor. The analysis suggests that, while human cultural production is deeply embedded in economic systems, its ethical and spiritual significance cannot be separated from the recognition of non-human agency and the moral value of ecological and social systems. This reflection parallels debates in religious environmental ethics, where moral consideration extends beyond humans to the broader web of life. By situating human creativity within both cultural and economic networks, the paper offers a framework for ethical and religious reflection that fosters a holistic, less anthropocentric understanding of dignity, responsibility, and flourishing.