ABSTRACT
For the first time in history, humans now occupy a geological epoch driven by anthropogenic activity [1]. Culturally, the Anthropocene is defined by the human dominion of nature, a phenomenon that environmental philosopher Freya Mathews calls anthropocentric triumphalism [2]. Rooted in Judeo-Christian traditions found in the stories of Creation, it was believed that humans were shaped in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), who transcends the laws of nature. This belief separated humans from nature to put them in a position of dominance [3], structuring the foundation for Western culture marked by the aggressive domination [4] and commodification [5] of nature. By the late 17th century, philosophical notions of dominion over nature had merged with significant advances in scientific development, which commercialized the practice of human control to form the modern scientific ideology [6]. Many of the tools that we rely on today, including air conditioning, electricity, and automobiles, were developed as systems to dominate nature. Additionally, the transition from human and animal labor as the primary fuel source to coal in the late 18th century furthered the divide between humans and the environment as the manipulation of nature and exploitation of fossil fuels enabled humans to expand their dominion at a planetary scale [3,7]. In the built environment, this phenomenon is evident in the ubiquitous skylines of sealed glass buildings and artificial indoor environments.
