Extending co-operative inquiry beyond the human: Ontopoetic inquiry with rivers
Peter Reason
Action Research June 6, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/14767503231179562 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 8 |
| Key points | Proposes extending co-operative inquiry and the concept of persons to include sentient 'river persons' and the more-than-human world, drawing on 'living cosmos panpsychism' to explore what living among sentient beings rather than inert objects would be like. The author reflects on the veracity claims made in narratives of encounters with animals at river encounters. |
Abstract
Co-operative inquiry was conceived as an authentic science of humans as self-determining persons. But what if we extend our definition of persons to include beings in the more-than-human world – and indeed the cosmos itself – as sentient and responsive? This paper gives some account of a series of co-operative inquiries with human and river persons worldwide, drawing on living cosmos panpsychism to address questions of the kind, What would it be like to live in a world of sentient beings rather than inert objects? The paper includes some narratives of encounters with animals who appear at our river encounters, and reflects on the veracity claims we are making.