Zhuhai, China, November 11, 2024 — Today, the Center for Whitehead Studies at the Insititute for Advanced Study of Beijing Normal Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) successfully hosted an academic lecture titled "Constructive Postmodern Cosmocentric Ethics and Ecological Civilization" at the Zhuhai campus. The lecture featured Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Honorary Professor and renowned process philosopher Vesselin Petrov as the keynote speaker, attracting over 200 scholars, ecological ethics researchers, and students from universities around the world.

Professor Vesselin Petrov shares

Professor Yang Fubin, a researcher at the Center for Whitehead Studies, gave an opening introduction to Professor Vesselin Petrov

From Earth to the Cosmos: A New Dimension of Ethical Civilization

In his lecture, Professor Petrov began by stating that one of the core tasks of human civilization today is to build a global "ecological civilization," highlighting China's pioneering role in this field. He referred to China's ambitious plan to "build an ecological civilization by 2060" and suggested that China will become a key force in leading global ecological transformation. However, the professor further stated: "The construction of ecological civilization should not be limited to Earth. Within the next 50 years, humanity will venture beyond the solar system, expanding to planets like Mars and Venus. We urgently need a new ethical framework—'Cosmocentric Ethics'—to guide humanity's behavior in interstellar exploration."

What is Cosmocentric Ethics?

Professor Petrov explained that traditional environmental ethics primarily revolves around "weak anthropocentrism," "animal rights theory," "biocentrism," and "ecocentrism," but these theories struggle to address the ethical challenges posed by interstellar exploration. For instance, should humans modify alien environments (i.e., "terraforming")? How can we balance the "intrinsic value" of extraterrestrial ecosystems with human survival needs? If we encounter extraterrestrial life or advanced intelligent beings, what ethical guidelines should we follow in our interactions?

To address these questions, the professor proposed constructing a "Whiteheadian Cosmocentric Ethics" based on Whitehead's "organic philosophy." Whitehead's philosophy emphasizes the dynamic wholeness of the universe and the generative nature of value, and his "process metaphysics" offers the possibility of transcending anthropocentrism and establishing interstellar ethics. Petrov specifically mentioned Whitehead scholar Frederick Ferré’s concept of "Kalogenetic Ethics," which centers on the "experience of creating beauty" and advocates for four principles: "Do no harm, protect existing good, create new good, and maintain fairness." However, he pointed out that these principles need to be further expanded on a cosmic scale, such as: does developing stellar energy constitute "cosmic destruction"? How can we balance "human values" with the potentially radically different "alien values" when contacting extraterrestrial civilizations?

Guests and audience at the salon venue

The Urgency and Controversy of Interstellar Ethics

Throughout the lecture, Professor Petrov repeatedly emphasized the urgency of interstellar ethics. Using the U.S.-China Mars colonization plans as an example, he highlighted SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s proposal to "migrate one million people to Mars within a century" and China’s ambitions to establish a lunar base and explore deep space, showing that humanity is accelerating towards a "multi-planet civilization." However, this expansion could lead to ethical crises: if Mars harbors primitive life, would terraforming be considered "ecological violence"? If we encounter extraterrestrial civilizations with technology far beyond ours, can humanity uphold the principle of "fairness"?

In response, the professor quoted Hungarian thinker Ervin Laszlo: "The sun will eventually expand into a red giant, and life on Earth is destined to end. Spreading life into the cosmos is not only essential for survival, but also an ethical responsibility." However, he also warned that humanity must abandon the "supremacy of values" arrogance and acknowledge that "Cosmocentric Ethics" may require humans to redefine their position in the value hierarchy.

The Practical Significance of Whitehead’s Philosophy

During the discussion session, Professor Petrov engaged with the audience in a deeper exploration of the practical applications of Whitehead’s philosophy. For example, Whitehead distinguishes between "cosmology," which focuses on the laws of specific periods in the universe, and "metaphysics," which reveals universal principles of existence. This distinction provides theoretical tools for formulating dynamic and adaptive interstellar ethics. Furthermore, Whitehead's interpretation of "value" — that value arises from the "satisfaction intensity" of experiential events — can help humanity understand the potentially very different value systems of extraterrestrial life.  

Audience Response and Future Outlook  

After the lecture, scholars in the audience engaged in a lively discussion on issues such as "Does artificial intelligence ethics fall within the realm of Cosmocentric Ethics?" and "How can we resolve conflicts of interest between countries in interstellar development?" Professor Petrov responded that the ethical norms for strong AI (AGI) should be integrated into the Cosmocentric Ethics framework, and international cooperation should adhere to the principles of "joint exploration and minimal intervention."

On site guests and audience engage in questioning and discussion

The Director of the Center for Whitehead Studies stated in the closing address that this seminar has provided intellectual support for the construction of ecological civilization and interplanetary ethics in China and globally, carrying profound significance. In the future, the Center will engage in more in-depth cooperation with Professor Petrov to expand the long-term influence of ecological civilization thought from the perspective of Whitehead's process philosophy.

group photo

The Executive Director of the Center for Whitehead Studies presented a letter of appointment to Professor Petrov