Emilie Prattico is an author, philosopher and climate change specialist but how did becoming a first-time mother change the way she thinks about our world and its future?

Music intro

Hi, I'm Dhruti Shah, and this is my podcast Have You Thought About. I'm a writer, journalist and poet, I love to find out about what interests people are pursuing, especially if they're blending together these different skills in different ways. In each edition, I'm going to chat with someone I find particularly interesting and who's managed to fit things together in their life or

We have known each other for a long time, and I've been drawn to philosophy for even longer. I have older sisters, and we grew up in France. And in France, everyone has to study philosophy for our baccalaureate, the equivalent of a levels. And so my eldest sister, who is 10 years older than me, was studying for a levels or her baccalaureate when I was about seven or eight.

studying philosophy, reading philosophy, there was nothing else I even considered studying. Why would you not want to read the greatest thinkers in the world? I mean, obviously, I completely understand that that statement is completely subjective. But to me, I had found an almost infinite source of absolute brilliance that I could just read, and, you know, read in a context where I was

Paid to think.

Exactly, exactly. And then I, you know, decided to pursue a PhD, because I met some amazing professors, but also because I thought, when else in the world will I be given the opportunity to think about whatever I want, in whatever way I want to, and to go as deep into a topic as I can in a PhD, and that's proven true. I mean, I've been employed since then. So yeah, having

Can I interrupt for one second - how do you make sure that you're not an over thinker? As someone who thinks a lot?

Now if I had the answer to that question, that would be great. You learn you learn that overthinking isn't always helpful, useful, necessary, appropriate. You learn by experience. That was my, at least what I can share on a personal level. Overthinking just makes for life that's very cut off from others. because you're stuck in your interpretations of things, you're stuck in

would call it not necessarily thinking with empathy, not thinking with your client in mind, not thinking with your audience in mind. And that's really interesting to see. I mean, they're great thinkers, in other respects fry, deep thinkers, but that thinking with empathy has to be learned, at least in my experience for academics,

that I'm just going to put a plug, you've written several books, is this going to be the next book - about thinking with empathy.

I hadn't thought of that, but could be, I wouldn't rule it out. Because I do think that it's something I've had to learn. And that's really paid dividends not to use consultancy again, but really paid dividends. Yeah, I think it's made me not just a better consultant, but a better problem solver. And being more connected to the issues that we're trying to solve.

Fantastic. And I'm going to use it to sort of move on to another topic that I really wanted to ask you about, you know, weren't just the first modern-day philosopher that I'd come across but also when it comes to climate and climate change, you have been quite ahead of the game. When it comes to immersing yourself in it in terms of trying to make change to climate change, how did you

possibly, although I hope that doesn't make me sound really old. But possibly, I don't really remember that in my late teens or early 20s. I had much of a climate conscience that caught let's say, Not particularly, I mean, we rode our bikes at uni, I did, most people did...

I fell off the bike. It's fine.

You know, that's about it. So it was through research, it was through a convergence or a confluence of a few things. It was through philosophy that I structured that awareness about climate change, let me explain. So in my dissertation, I looked at the role of science, in political and specifically democratic decision making. And I looked at it from, I'd say, a critical point of

transnational level, through different historical periods. And these are things that if, you know, I'd obviously read a lot of political philosophy, these are really some core topics that we study in political philosophy. And so to me, it just suddenly became clear that climate change was such a deeply political question about justice, about fairness, about what we owe to each other, as

be as well. I wanted to have my area for play, as it were, it was talking to companies, as opposed to governance, let's say.

And on that note, conversations that we've had, is language and storytelling, because that's something else that, you know, you're a polymath, has said you're a multi linguist, lots of different languages, since I met you; I'm sure you've added more. But there's also that language around climate change and making sure people don't get desensitised to it. And also bringing in

That's a great question. I was talking about voice earlier. And I think you'll have understood by now that being a philosopher, I'm not an engineer, right. So I don't have all that technical background, that a lot of people that are working in the climate field writ large, actually have. I'd say, the reason I care about words is because I care about voices; the reason I care

The beauty of the have you thought about is sometimes you won't have an answer straight away, but you'll be thinking about it as we talk. And that's what I like, about these conversations. So the fact that, you know, we're thinking about voice and who has voice and how to provide voice is giving me a happy thought about I'm hoping, yeah, it sounds like it's giving you one

I wish I could say that I'm always on, always fighting and I'm always know, thinking about how we can solve this. There's something interesting to me, in having made this a job. Because you see, you know, in a nutshell, my job is to help companies tell these stories about climate change, very authentic way. And before they can tell the story, of course, I have to go and help

thing. And I think a lot of, you'll see a lot of people in the climate field get burnt out, because turning off does not give you the r&r that you actually need. It gives you guilt. You know, it gives you a feeling of inadequacy relinquishing your responsibilities, or it can I mean, obviously, I'm generalising it can. So that's, that's not helpful. And then if you do, if you don't unplug, then

Wonderful and just sort of a quick sort of a mini segue in terms of motherhood, again, has that transformed your outlook on life? You know, very simple question, but yet motherhood a big thing. It's it seeps through everything, right?

Yes, it is. It's bigger than I thought it was. But not in how can I put it not in size, but in kind of an odd metaphor that it does change everything. I'll say, probably the biggest thing that it's changed for me is that a child needs you to be present in life. Before having a child I was always thinking well, I need to get this degree so I can get this other degree and actually

and also, with some, I think, level of seriousness, but jokes about like, do we raise a survivalist? Do we teach her how to make fire and eat wood and how to forage and all this stuff. Rather than teach her Shakespeare, of course, we know we need both. That actually poetry becomes something that you need for survival in cases of extreme conditions. I've read that; I've not experienced it, but

That is very true. And that's a lot to sort of factor in. But I guess one more thing, what gives you hope?

That was such a good question. There are some individuals that give me they give me hope, because we share outlooks, because I see their energy, I see their commitment. And I see. And I may be wrong, but what I see is that they seem hopeful. And if these brilliant people are still hopeful, then I should be hopeful. I'll put my faith in them. So there's a lot of that. I think, yeah,

That's absolutely fine. Brilliant. Okay, I'm really happy, are you? I'm happy with that. Are you quite happy?

Oh, I'm very happy. That's an interesting segueway there Dhruti. I have a lot of happiness, which is perhaps this connection. You know, what I was just saying about being present. You know, I have huge plans for the future. Again, I still have goals and aspirations. But I'm not always thinking about that next big move that's going to unlock all these wonderful things that I don't

And that was the wonderful Emilie Prattico, who brings together philosophy, climate change, and much, much more. Do you have an interdisciplinary life because I would love to hear from you and maybe we can chat on this podcast that goes with my newsletter, which is called Have You Thought About and can be found via www.dhrutishah.com. Please join me next time for a great