nature andmultiplecultures. It is thus going to have to reopen the
question of the number of collectives byexploring the common worlds
(p. 184). But it can begin this exploration only if it abandons the
definition of progress. There are in fact not one buttwo arrows of time
(p. 188); the first one, modernist, goes toward an ever-increasing
separation between objectivity and subjectivity, and the other, non-
modern, goes toward ever more intricate attachments. Only the sec-
ond makes it possible to define the collective byits learning curve
(p. 194)—provided that we add to the two preceding powers athird
power, the power to follow up,which brings up anewthe question of the
State(p. 200). The State of political ecology remains to be invented,
since it is no longer based on any transcendence but on the quality of
follow-up in the collective experimentation. It is on this quality, the
art of governing without mastery, that civilization capable of putting
an end to the state of war depends. But to make peace possible, we still
need to benefit fromthe exercise of diplomacy(p. 209). The diplomat re-
news contact with the others, but without making further use of the
division between mononaturalism and multiculturalism. The suc-
cess of diplomacy will determine whetherthe sciences are at war or at
peace(p. 217).
conclusion:
a) Since politics has always been conducted under the auspices of
nature, we have never left the state of nature behind, and the Levia-
than remains to be constructed.
b) A first style of political ecology believed that it was innovating by
inserting nature into politics, whereas in fact it was only exacerbating
the paralysis of politics caused by the old nature.
c) To give new meaning to political ecology, we need to abandon
Science in favor of the sciences conceived as ways of socializing non-
humans, and we have to abandon the politics of the Cave for politics
defined by the progressive composition of the good common world.
d) All the institutions that allow for this new political ecology al-
ready exist in tentative form in contemporary reality, even if we shall
have to redefine the positions of left and right.
e) To the famous question “What Is to Be Done?” there is only
one answer:“Political ecology!”(p. 221)—provided that we modify the
meaning of the term by giving it the experimental metaphysics in
keeping with its ambitions.
SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT
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