Thinking as an earthling changes how we approach justice and governance. In his work , philosopher David Miller argues that justice should be rooted in the actual social contexts and "real-world" conditions of human life rather than abstract, universal ideals.
: The term helps collapse artificial divisions—nationalism, race, and creed—into a single "global subjectivity". Earthling
: Before one is a citizen of a nation or a member of a profession, one is an earthling. Thinking as an earthling changes how we approach
Being an earthling is more than just living on a specific planet; it is a physical and elemental feeling of connection to the living world. : Before one is a citizen of a
: As earthlings, we face collective challenges like climate change and resource management that require global cooperation.
: This identity suggests a reciprocal relationship with the wind, the fruit we eat, and the soil beneath us.
David Miller, Justice for earthlings: essays in political philosophy