Anthropocenea

Anthropocenea is a term used in speculative discourse to denote a proposed phase of Earth's history characterized by the deep integration of human cognitive and cultural systems with planetary processes. It is sometimes proposed as an alternative to the Anthropocene, emphasizing social-technical agency and collective decision-making as primary drivers of long-term planetary change rather than purely material activity.

Origin and usage of the term are limited to niche discussions in environmental philosophy, futurology, and speculative fiction. It is not recognized as a formal geological epoch by the International Commission on Stratigraphy, and its use remains metaphorical and diagnostic rather than stratigraphic.

Differences from the Anthropocene are a defining feature of Anthropocenea. While the Anthropocene highlights the stratigraphic record of human impact on Earth, Anthropocenea foregrounds cognition, governance, and socio-technical systems as central drivers of planetary change. The concept invites attention to how cultures, institutions, and technology shape ecological trajectories across generations.

Characteristics commonly associated with Anthropocenea include expanded global information networks, transnational governance mechanisms, platform-based economies, and culturally integrated responses to environmental risk. Proponents argue that this lens can reframe responsibility, ethics, and policy, stressing long-term decision-making, planetary stewardship, and the coevolution of human systems with ecological processes.

See also: Anthropocene; planetary boundaries; techno-sphere; environmental philosophy; futurology.