Linha Temática | Thematic Line:

Filosofia das Ciências da Vida / Philosophy of Life Sciences

Estado | Status:

Em curso | In progress 

 

 

BIODECON

Que definição de biodiversidade para a conservação da biodiversidade?
Which biodiversity definition for biodiversity conservation?

(I&D Project ref. PTDC/IVC-HFC/1817/2014)

 

The idea of BIODECON:
Given the massive anthropogenic loss of species we are experiencing, the future generations are bound to face important challenges such as protecting and restoring the species’ habitats and managing the wellbeing of ecosystems. In other words, they are bound to conserve biodiversity. However, although the biodiversity crisis has risen up the policy agenda more than twenty years ago, there is still no agreement on a definition of “biodiversity”. Philosophy can help in providing the guidelines and the theoretical instruments required to proceed towards a definition and a conceptual clarification of biodiversity in its connection with the notions of species, habitats, and ecosystem.

Which biodiversity definition for biodiversity conservation?

"Which biodiversity definition for biodiversity conservation?" is an international and interdisciplinary project funded by the FCT (Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal) and based at the Center for the Philosophy of Science of the University of Lisbon. It promotes the interaction between philosophers, biologists, and ecologists working for a common goal: conserving biodiversity.

Since the end of the 1980s, the biodiversity crisis has risen up the policy agenda. However, despite all the events and actions dedicated to biodiversity conservation, establishing appropriate and effective policies is an extremely complex task, calling for detailed analysis.Two main ideas move the project. The first is that philosophy can offer a substantial contribution to understanding and defining biodiversity. The second is that improving the dialogue between scientists and philosophers on the topics of biodiversity composition, evaluation, and conservation can help in building the necessary links between biodiversity experts and society at large.

Project website: http://biodecon.campus.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/