Climate Absurdism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7157844 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Daniel G Dick (0000-0002-5558-490X, School of Earth, Environment & Society McMaster University Hamilton ON Canada, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 946-961 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Applied Philosophy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0264-3758 • E-ISSN: 1468-5930 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/japp.12797 |
| OpenAlex | W4407422231 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 44 |
Many arguments in the popular discourse around climate change seem intended to give the impression that climate action is an absurd endeavor. These ‘climate absurdist’ arguments are reflected in the question: ‘if the climate is going to change anyway, why should we care about anthropogenic climate change?’ Classic absurdist philosophy suggests that absurdity (also called ‘the absurd’) arises due to a conflict between our desire for meaning and a universe that seems devoid of meaning. Others argue the absurd is not a consequence of specific facts about the universe but is rather a matter of perspective – we live our lives with a seriousness that can always be undercut by ‘stepping back’ and viewing our goals and aspirations with indifference. Although climate absurdist claims are structured similarly to classic absurdist claims (positing a conflict between our climate stabilizing efforts and specific physical facts like a constantly changing climate), I argue that climate absurdist arguments are primarily rhetorical claims intended to encourage the listener to ‘step back’ and view our climate stabilizing efforts on a geologic or cosmic scale, where they can appear insignificant. I show that this approach results in a self‐defeating argument that cannot justify climate inaction
Absurdism · Absurdity · Aesthetics · Climate change · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Political science · Rhetorical question · Seriousness · Sociology · Climate Change and Geoengineering · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Law · Philosophy · Science and Climate Studies · Ecology
Reason in a Dark Time
Public Perception of Climate Change
The Economic Impacts of Climate Change
Impacts of climate change on the future of biodiversity
The Absurd
Accelerating extinction risk from climate change
XXXI. On the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground
Floating Provisos and Sinking Islands
Individual Responsibility and the Ethics of Hoping for a More Just Climate Future
Organized Climate Change Denial
Climate change impacts on agriculture in 2050 under a range of plausible socioeconomic and emissions scenarios
Loss and damage implications of sea-level rise on Small Island Developing States
History of climate modeling
Considering attitudinal uncertainty in the climate change skepticism continuum
Climate Change and Non-Identity
Nagel or Camus on the Absurd
Fear, hope, anger, and guilt in climate activism
Climate Change Skepticism and Denial
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |