From Threatening to Threatened Nature. Tracing the Line from Kantian and Schillerian Sublimity to Jonas’s Heuristics of Fear

The essay connects Kant’s and Schiller’s concepts of the sublime with Hans Jonas’ “heuristics of fear” to offer a motivation that can prompt collective responsibility toward nature. Kant’s sublime, evoking awe and moral awareness through vast or powerful natural phenomena, reveals human moral freedom while acknowledging our vulnerability. Schiller’s view adds respect for nature’s wildness. The paper argues that, in today’s ecological crisis, sublime experiences – both of nature’s power and its fragility – can cultivate ethical attitudes. Jonas’ idea that imagined fear of catastrophe can motivate responsibility aligns with this, suggesting that the sublime’s emotional impact can foster a moral duty to protect the environment for future generations.