Ole Sandberg

• PostDoc Position at University of Iceland

In this paper, we argue that the concept of ‘species’ should not be the main focus of research and policies in biodiversity conservation. Diversity is important at all levels of life: within species as well as among them and within and among ecosystems. First, we give a brief overview of the debate about the necessity to find a unified concept of ‘...

This chapter takes gravity as a fundamental element. Gravity is one of the physical forces without which there would not be life nor matter as we know it. Gravity can keep us grounded, but it can also be terrifying and discomforting. As a person suffering from acrophobia, I give a phenomenological account of how this condition is not merely a “fear...

A frequent misunderstanding about Peter Kropotkin, and anarchism more generally, is that by emphasising mutual aid as a factor of evolution and history, he advocates a view of human nature as essentially benign. This essay aims to disprove that claim by showing that Kropotkin explicitly rejects any notion of a fixed human essence and insists that w...

This chapter tries to make sense of a particular aspect of our contemporary experience: the so-called “post-truth era.” This era is characterized by strong polarization where it seems like the arguments and opinions of the opposing sides are informed by different realities. When beliefs are still held despite being debunked by contradicting evidenc...

In The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins’ argues that evolution, being a process of ruthless competition, results in selfish behavior. Human nature is short-sighted and amoral due to our genes. But he also insists humans have a unique capacity for moral behavior: Using reason we can suppress the natural instincts and act against our nature. In this cha...

Many fear that climate change will lead to the collapse of civilization. I argue both that this is unlikely and that the fear is potentially harmful. Using examples from recent disasters I argue that climate change is more likely to intensify the existing social order—a truly terrifying prospect. The fear of civilizational collapse is part of the c...

In 2009 Iceland was home to a series of protests and events by refugees and asylum seekers trying to get the attention of politicians and the general public. They had several demands but one of them was realized simply by the very act of protesting: They wanted to break the social isolation they'd been put in by the government who placed them in ca...