School on Geoethics and Natural Issues

(Schola de Geoethica et Naturae Quaestionibus)

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Director:

Dr. PhD Silvia Peppoloni

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Rationale 

The “Schola” is a place for teaching and learning of the principles and values of geoethics in the light of the philosophy and history of Earth sciences. The intent is to provide background knowledge and the evaluation skills necessary to understand the complex relationship between human action on ecosystems and the decisions geoscientists make in the discipline that impact society, including improving the awareness of professionals, students, decision-makers, media operators, and the public on an accountable and ecologically sustainable development. 
The “Schola” provides the opportunity to deepen reflection on the sense and social utility of geosciences, analyzing their rational categories, values, possible perspectives, uncertainties and cognitive limits, in order to understand how their modes of action can conform to a specific vision of reality and how that vision can in turn modify the interface of human action with natural reality. But the “Schola” is also a place to learn and develop more responsible strategies, operating procedures and practical actions, that are compatible with respect for socio-ecological systems, the vocation of the territories, including the health and safety of human communities.

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Aim

The “Schola” aims to provide excellent education in geoethics, thus promoting the development of a scientific and critical attitude to the knowledge of the Earth and its constituent systems, by fostering a growth of awareness and responsibility towards the planet, education in the values and actions underlying a respect for ecosystems, including responsible use of resources, management of natural risks, reduction of pollution and its repercussions on human health and climate, adaptation to environmental changes, in view of an accountable and ecologically sustainable development.

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Description

The “Schola” conforms to the Geoethical Promise and the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics adopted as programmatic and constitutive documents to promote a cultural renewal aimed at favoring ecological humanism.
The “Schola” is a scientific, international, multicultural and multidisciplinary meeting place for research and training on geoethics and the philosophy of Earth sciences.
The “Schola” guarantees quality training, in a continuous and constant process of scientific and professional improvement and updating.
In the pursuit of its objectives, the “Schola” relies on experts from different disciplinary fields, using all the traditional didactic tools to which are added innovative methods that favor the formation of geoethical thinking and stimulate an analytical and critical attitude to understanding of socio-ecological complexity.

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To whom it is addressed
The “Schola” is aimed at all those who want to improve their scientific knowledge on the Earth system and to understand the social role geosciences can play in identifying new ways of relating to the planet and the living forms that it hosts. The courses are addressed to different categories of users: they can be useful to both secondary school students and university undergraduate/graduate students in disciplines that deal with the environment from different perspectives (planning, naturalist, geo-biological, landscape, architectural, legislative, educational, cultural and relative to communication). Scholars of the phenomena and processes of the planet (researchers, academics, scientists), as well as those who physically operate in the territories (various types of professionals, geologists, engineers, landscape architects, risk experts, media operators, decision-makers) can find valid support to their scientific and professional preparation in the courses. Finally, the “Schola” is also aimed at the general public and others, including non-experts, who are interested in better understanding the bond that links human communities to ecosystems, within the perspective of responsible development.

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