Jukka Mikkonen

FT, dosentti (Tampere, filosofia)

Tutkija
Yhteiskuntatieteiden ja filosofian laitos
Jyväskylän yliopisto

jukka.mikkonen [at] protonmail.com

Viimeaikaisia julkaisuja

”Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature: Lessons from Gilbbesjávri and Guovdageaidnu”. Environmental Values 14.3.2025.

For several decades, there has been interest in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in ecological research and conservation. Traditional knowledge and practices are recognized as essential for understanding sustainable uses of natural resources and for developing enduring eco-social policies and cross-cultural conservation ethics. In addition, there has been a growing effort in environmental policy to recognize aesthetic and spiritual values that indigenous peoples attribute to nature. In philosophy, some Western aestheticians have turned their attention to aesthetic diversity and initiated cross-cultural approaches. Nonetheless, environmental aestheticians have so far paid little attention to the potential of TEK in nature appreciation. In this article, I examine Sámi notions of landscape, the environmental knowledge of Sámi reindeer herders, and their appreciation of what is commonly referred to as the natural environment. I challenge scientific cognitivism, arguing that Sámi TEK employs perceptual categories that could provide the basis for a robust ‘cognitivist’ approach and, furthermore, that Sámi appreciation of nature exemplifies a unified view that Allen Carlson called for in his late work. However, I also argue that for cultural outsiders, acquiring TEK is fraught with epistemic and ethical challenges and requires humility and diligence.

(& Kaisa J. Raatikainen:) ”Aesthetics in Biodiversity Conservation”. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 8.6.2024.

Biodiversity loss is an immense ecological crisis of our time. But while “biodiversity” has become a buzzword in media and policy, conservationists have found it difficult to build a common understanding on the nature and severity of biodiversity loss and the means to tackle it. Perhaps surprisingly, many biologists and philosophers have proposed that biodiversity might be best defended with reference to its aesthetic value. This article explores whether aesthetic values could provide strong support for biodiversity conservation. By exploring the question from the viewpoints of species diversity, ecosystem diversity, and genetic diversity, we argue that there is a mismatch between apparent and real biodiversity and that aesthetics can give a limited support for biodiversity conservation at best.

”Korpimaiden kauneudet: esteettiset kokemukset Hossan kansallispuistoa ja Evon retkeilyaluetta koskevissa sanomalehtikirjoituksissa 2016–2022”. Alue & Ympäristö 1/2024.

Luonnonympäristöjä on pitkään suojeltu niiden kauneuden ja kiehtovan erikoisuuden tähden. Kauneuskeskeisen luonnonsuojelun lippulaivoja ovat kansallispuistot, joiden virkistystarkoitus on ymmärretty eri aikoina ja eri paikoissa eri tavoin. Artikkelissa selvitetään, millaisia esteettisiä kokemuksia kansallispuistoihin ja retkeilyyn liitetään sanomalehtikirjoituksissa. Tarkasteltujen lehtiartikkeleiden kohteet ovat i) vuonna 1979 retkeilyalueeksi perustettu ja vuonna 2017 kansallispuistoksi muutettu ja laajennettu Hossa sekä ii) vuonna 1993 perustettu Evon retkeilyalue, jota Ympäristöministeriön nimittämä työryhmä vuonna 2021 ehdotti tiedekansallispuistoksi. Tutkimuksen pääasiallisena aineistona ovat vuosina 2016–2022 erityisesti Kainuussa ja Hämeessä julkaistujen maakunta- ja paikallislehtien artikkelit, reportaasit, pääkirjoitukset ja kolumnit.

Sivu päivitetty viimeksi 14.III.2025