Critical relevance of the Canticle of the Creatures Fraternity in Times of the Anthropocene: The Continuing Critical Significance of the Canticle of the Creatures
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Abstract
This article examines the critical relevance of the Canticle of the Creatures by Saint Francis of Assisi in the context of the contemporary socio-environmental and technological crisis. Based on the category of the Anthropocene, it is argued that this crisis is not limited to ecological deterioration, but rather expresses an anthropological understanding based on the separation between humanity, technology, and creation. From this perspective, and in dialogue with studies on the Anthropocene, the critique of the technocratic paradigm, and the recent social magisterium of the Church, especially Laudato si' and some interventions by Pope Leo XIV, it is shown how the Franciscan tradition offers an understanding of the world founded on interdependence, shared vulnerability, and fraternity with all created beings. Likewise, the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence are examined, particularly with regard to responsibility, justice, and access to knowledge. The study argues that the Canticle retains a significant critical capacity to challenge contemporary logics of domination and to rethink the relationships between ecology, technology, and human dignity.
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