<p>What can we learn from plants? </p><p>In Western thinking, plants have usually been seen as the most lowly beings, fixed in one place and without capacity for thinking. But many cultures have known – and modern science is confirming – that plants carry their own kind of vibrant intelligence. They communicate, interpret and elaborate – could it be that we humans are more plant-like than we tend to believe? </p><p>In the 12th century, the mystic Hildegard of Bingen wrote about <em>viriditas</em>, a kind of capacity for self-renewal and vitality expressed most clearly in the vegetal realm. In today’s episode  I speak to philosopher Michael Marder about Hildegard’s ecological theology and what we might learn from plants. </p><p><strong>Michael Marder</strong> is Ikerbasque Research Professor of Philosophy at University of the Basque Country, and his work spans the fields of environmental philosophy and ecological thought, political theory, and phenomenology. </p><p><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.michaelmarder.org/">Michael Marder website </a>(free articles, book overviews)</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.sup.org/books/literary-studies-and-literature/green-mass">Green Mass: The Ecological Theology of St. Hildegard of Bingen </a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/pyropolitics/9783838219721/">Pyropolitics: Fire and the political </a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://michaelmarder.substack.com/">Michael’s Substack</a></p><p><strong>SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE</strong></p><p>🎙️ The FoT <a target="_blank" href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/">Substack</a> is now live! Become a <a target="_blank" href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/subscribe">free or paid subscriber </a>and receive newsletters direct to your inbox.</p><p>🎧 All episodes and more at <a target="_blank" href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/">⁠</a><a target="_blank" href="http://forestofthought.substack.com">forestofthought.substack.com</a><a target="_blank" href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/">⁠</a>.</p><p>💜 Support us on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.patreon.com/forestofthought">⁠Patreon⁠</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/subscribe">Substack</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://anchor.fm/forestofthought">⁠</a></p><p>🎵 Our theme music is by Christian Holtsteen.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://forestofthought.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">forestofthought.substack.com/subscribe</a>