Manager: Professor Claire BRUN
Disciplines involved : Philosophy; International human rights law; Cellular and molecular biology; Ecology
Topic and goals
The research group focuses on exploring the interdependencies between humans and their environment, taking into account the vulnerability of both individuals and ecosystems. Through a multidisciplinary approach, it examines the conditions necessary for the development of a common good that fully incorporates ecological considerations.
The group brings together academic staff with an interest in ecological issues, with a particular – though not exclusive – focus on human beings considered within their natural, economic and social ecosystems. The aim is to view human beings as vulnerable creatures, capable of autonomy whilst at the same time being embedded in relationships of mutual dependence.
From this perspective, the work carried out on cooperation is fully in line with the group’s overall thinking. The aim is to examine how cooperative dynamics, observable at all levels of life, redefine fundamental concepts such as society, the individual and even the organism, and how they offer new perspectives for understanding biological and social organisations. It is also necessary to assess, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the challenges and limitations of the widespread application of this concept across various fields of research.
Goals. This group’s research aims to develop an integrated understanding of life, by highlighting the interactions and adaptive processes that link organisms to their environment. Such an approach paves the way for new models of action and thought. It also provides a framework for rethinking human practices in the light of the ecological dynamics that shape life
Flagship project for 2025-2030: ‘Cooperation: the dynamics and challenges of living together’
Cooperation is now central to research in the natural, human and social sciences. In biology and ecology, it is proving to be a major, structuring process, observable at all levels of life, whilst in the human sciences, it offers a key to re-examining organisations.
Cooperation enables us to rethink notions such as community, society or species, whilst challenging concepts such as organism, person or individual. Viewed in its dynamic dimension, it is essential for maintaining a certain balance and preserving harmony within systems, be they a society, an ecosystem or an organism.
Finally, exploring the concept of multi-level cooperation enables us to question and move beyond traditional dualisms, such as whole/part or self/non-self, by viewing cooperation as both a condition of being-together and a factor of differentiation within the group. However, the analysis of its forms, modalities and purposes must be accompanied by a critical reflection on the uses and limitations of this paradigm, the widespread adoption of which is likely to challenge the conceptual frameworks of many disciplines.