French, European and international scientific communities can be better organized and mobilized about plant intelligence.
Many disciplines have looked at plants. They are often very specialized, communicate little between them and are split among many countries and disciplines.
It should help to improve, accelerate the organization of these communities and promote their funding. The scale of action and reflection is definitely international. Europe must be a key contributor. Knowledge must be better shared.
Philosophers must help society and first scientists to become more objective about plant intelligence.
The first debates between men on the soul and intelligence of plants date back to Aristotle and Democritus. How are new discoveries and current experiences influencing these old debates? How not to fall into a non-useful anthropomorphism? Is plant intelligence a taboo for scientists? These philosophical dimensions and historical perspective are essential to help scientists but also lawyers to be heard in political decision-making bodies.
Despite the work of botanists, neurobiologists, geneticists, ecologists …, innumerable taboos and immemorial prejudices still clutter our thinking and require a clean slate.
The legal community must analyse the consequences on society of a change in the status of plants, think about a new framework.
An exciting first job has just been completed in France. It consists in bringing together in one compendium all the texts governing the legal life of animals. Must we transpose the texts on animals to plants? Is it viable for our society? Switzerland has taken a first step towards recognizing a plant ethic to better defend their interests.
Other major states have decided to give a legal personality to some large rivers, so that they are represented in a global way in local negotiations. The status of nature reserves evolves.
The plant world is everywhere, whatever the subject, but still absent from all contracts. A legal frame must take on board this new framework and facilitate public policies