A sensory and philosophical exploration of humanity's place in nature
In Search of a New Ecological Imaginary
How can we respect nature if we reduce it to nothing more than a bunch of resources?
How can we protect it when the capitalist system continually drives us to exploit it more and more?
In the Name of Nature is a series that brings you into conversation with thinkers and people working on the front lines of environmental action, which, through their commitment and perspectives, invite us to rediscover a reenchanted relationship with nature.
Each episode explores philosophically a different reason for protecting nature.
The episodes
Introduction
Episode 0 | Duration : 9 min
This introductory video presents the guiding theme of the series and invites viewers to reflect on the meaning of the word "nature."
Click on the video to watch it
In the name of money
Episode 1
Does Nature have a price? Immerse yourself in the Costa Rican rainforest to investigate the monetary value of nature.
In the name of the Sacred
Episode 2
This three-part episode explores the spiritual perspectives on nature found in Japanese animism, Christianity, Islam, and Zen Buddhism.
In the name of well-being
Episode 3
How does nature contribute to our well-being? Explore its surprising effects on our health and the role it plays in sustaining our physical and psychological balance.
In the name of beauty
Episode 4
What if we protected nature for its beauty? This episode puts that compelling idea to the test, taking you from breathtaking waterfalls to ordinary wildflowers.
In the name of wildness
Episode 5
Should wilderness be controlled, or should it remain untouched? Immerse yourself in America's national parks and discover the value of the more-than-human world.
In the name of Earth
Episode 6
What if we recognized an intrinsic value to nature ? This final episode explores the ideas that place nature at the very heart of our ethical thinking.
“
The director
Pascale Smeesters is a Belgian filmmaker, philosopher, nature guide, photographer, and adult education facilitator.
Passionate about nature from an early age, she devoted her master's thesis to environmental ethics, the branch of philosophy that explores our relationship with the natural world.
Struck by the fact that nature is largely viewed through a utilitarian lens in our societies—even within environmental discourse—she embarked on an ambitious project: to travel the world and produce a documentary series exploring the many reasons for protecting nature, whether they are utilitarian, spiritual, aesthetic, or ethical.
After ten years of research, encounters, and exploration, the documentary series In the Name of Nature finally became a reality.