The Problem of Monocentricity and the New Role of the Human Subject: Toward Pluriperspectivism in Addressing Ecological Crises

Abstract

This paper critiques monocentric frameworks (anthropocentrism and corporocentrism) for perpetuating ecological crises by reducing nature to instrumental value. Through ethical theory and case studies (e.g. the Whanganui River, the Rights of Nature movement), it proposes pluriperspectivism, a non-hierarchical paradigm that recognises multiple centres of agency. The study demonstrates how transcending monocentrism aligns ethical action with planetary survival, redefining the human as a responsive agent capable of articulating plural values. The conclusion highlights urgent policy implications, including the need for legal personhood for ecosystems.