ArcHum Research Seminar: Limits in Nature - a Philosophical Exploration
Svein Anders Noer Lie presents his newly published book Limits in Nature: A Philosophical Exploration (Routledge Environmental Ethics, 2026), which asks how our understanding of nature's limits shapes our idea of freedom and why taking those limits seriously may be the condition for more freedom rather than less.
Adopting a fresh approach, this book explores our understanding of nature’s limits and proposes a new perspective to reframe the relationship between these limits and human freedom. Where should we look to uncover the deeper roots of today’s environmental disagreements?
A common answer might be: the conflict between nature’s limits and human freedom. Yet, surprisingly, this critical topic has received little direct attention. To delve into this issue, the book turns to ontology; the philosophical study of being, and argues that our ontological understanding of nature profoundly shapes our ideas about freedom. By rethinking what limits in nature truly mean, we can gain new insights into what happens when we exceed those limits, into the real role of science and technology, and into what genuinely enhances freedom versus what diminishes it. Ultimately, the book contends that our current trajectory sacrifices the environment for a system that paradoxically offers less and less freedom. If this argument holds, it opens the door to reassessing the entrenched understanding of the conflict between human freedom and nature’s limits to find a more lasting path forward.
This book is a must-read for environmental scholars seeking to deepen their understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of today’s ecological challenges.
The seminar is part of the ArcHum Research Seminar series: a meeting place for Arctic humanities. The seminar aims to make visible the breadth and quality of the research taking place at UiT, and to give colleagues across departments, faculties and campuses a regular opportunity to meet.
You find the whole programme for the Autumn semester here: https://uit.no/tavla/artikkel/940319/archum_research_seminars_autumn_2026
