The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is an outstanding, integrated research museum within the Leibniz Association, with an international reputation and a globally networked research infrastructure. As an innovative communication hub, it aims to help shape the scientific and societal dialogue on the future of our planet and to foster the development of a democratic knowledge society.
Out of the Box #3 Nature & Freedom
The central question is why nature and freedom are so closely linked in our minds. When we think of freedom, images of wide open spaces, forests, mountains, seas or open landscapes often spring to mind. Nature seems to be the antithesis of confinement, restriction and social expectations. But why is this the case? And what does freedom mean for us as human beings, for other living creatures and for the world in which we live? Is freedom, above all, the absence of constraints, or does it arise only through relationships, responsibility and a sense of belonging? And what would be its opposite: control, dependence, security or isolation?
Nature itself also raises questions. Is it a place of freedom, or rather a web of interdependencies, boundaries and mutual adaptation? How free is an ecosystem? How free can we humans be whilst remaining part of it? And what does freedom mean in the context of nature conservation, when the freedom of some often affects the very basis of existence for others? It is precisely in debates on climate, energy, mobility and consumption that it becomes clear how differently people understand freedom. For some, it means as few restrictions as possible and the ability to determine one’s own life. For others, it presupposes that future generations and other living beings also retain scope for action. This raises fundamental questions: How much limitation does freedom require? And can there be true freedom without protecting the conditions that make it possible?
The question of freedom is always also a question of our relationship with the world: with other people, with society and with nature.
Discussing this:
Kirsten Meyer – philosopher with a background in biology and Professor of Practical Philosophy and Philosophy Education at Humboldt University in Berlin
Britta Schmidt – Head of Naturwacht Brandenburg, responsible for the protection of nature and biodiversity as well as the management of protected areas.
Hendrik von Schlieben – political scientist and sociologist, active in the ‘Rechte der Spree’ initiative and the association Rechte der Natur e.V.
Moderated by Maike Weißpflug
Our guests will share their experiences, stories and perspectives. The result will not be a discussion in search of quick answers or hasty consensus, but an evening full of unexpected connections, productive friction and new ideas. For the question of freedom also touches on our relationship with nature and our coexistence. How much freedom do we need, and where does our responsibility towards other people, other living beings and future generations begin? Perhaps freedom does not arise where all boundaries disappear, but where we allow for new perspectives, tolerate differences and find ways together to shape our living space.
An evening for everyone who has remained curious. For everyone who would like to step outside their own bubble from time to time. And for everyone who believes that new ideas emerge where genuine encounters become possible.
A programme organised by the Naturwissen network of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Funded by the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.
PLEASE NOTE: DIFFERENT VENUE, NOT MfN: At the former Lichterfelde women’s prison – The Knast, Soehtstr. 7, 12203 Berlin