Morten Tønnessen

Morten Tønnessen is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Stavanger (Norway), affiliated with the Department of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Social Sciences. His work bridges philosophy, biosemiotics, and environmental ethics, focusing on interdisciplinary studies of human and non-human agency, ecological crises, and cross-species communication. He holds a prominent role in advancing umwelt theory and its applications in ethics and ecology.

Research interests include biosemiotic ethics, phenomenology, animal studies, environmental philosophy, and the intersection of semiotics with ecological and societal systems. He explores topics like planetary colonization ethics, human-environmental relationships, and the philosophical implications of life’s semiotic processes. His work addresses contemporary challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and societal transformation.

Notable publications include analyses of Mars colonization ethics, biosemiotic interpretations of human agency, and critiques of anthropocentric environmental policies. He has been recognized with the Biosemiotic Achievement Award (2022, 2020) for contributions to the field. His research often emphasizes practical applications of theoretical frameworks, such as guidelines for ethical decision-making in multi-species contexts.

Academically, he contributes to teaching philosophy for social sciences and interdisciplinary methodologies. His work spans international collaborations, reflected in publications across semiotics, ecology, and policy studies. Current projects explore the ethics of planetary boundaries, zoosemiotics, and the semiotic roots of ecological crises.