Episode #258 Matthijs Schouten - Why We Should Stop Calling It Nature and Start Calling It Life

What if the real problem is not the world around us, but the way we’ve been taught to see it? Ecologist and philosopher Matthijs Schouten explores how Western thinking shaped our separation from nature, and why that mindset still affects the way we live today. He makes the case for seeing ourselves not above the natural world, but as part of a larger community of life.

In this episode, Matthijs traces the roots of this worldview through philosophy, religion, and science, while also pointing to other traditions that offer a more connected way of understanding the world. He shares why language matters, how we can reframe our relationship with nature, and what it means to move from control to participation. This conversation is a thoughtful invitation to rediscover wonder, belonging, and reciprocity.

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The Languages of Life