Anthropocentrism Quote by Judith Butler
““There is no life without the conditions of life that variably sustain life, and those conditions are pervasively social, establishing not the discrete ontology of the person, but rather the interdependency of persons, involving reproducible and sustaining social relations, and relations to the environment and to non-human forms of life, broadly considered. This mode of social ontology (for which no absolute distinction between social and ecological exists) has concrete implications for how we re-approach the issues of reproductive freedom and anti-war politics. The question is not whether a given being is living or not, nor whether the being in question has the status of a “person”; it is, rather, whether the social conditions of persistence and flourishing are or are not possible. Only with this latter question can we avoid the anthropocentric and liberal individualist presumptions that have derailed such discussions.””
About This Quote
The statement argues that life is fundamentally social and ecological, urging us to view existence through relational interdependence rather than isolated individuals, especially when discussing reproductive and anti‑war issues.
In simple terms: Life depends on social and ecological connections, not isolated individuals.
Focus on collective conditions that enable flourishing.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy making
- activist movements
- community building
- environmental planning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can policies balance collective flourishing with individual autonomy?
- What structures support both social interdependence and personal freedom?
Emphasizing relational conditions may overlook individual agency and specific rights.