The Anthropocene, the concept that the Earth has moved into a novel geological epoch characterized by human domination of the planetary system, is an increasingly prevalent framework for debate both in academia and as a wider cultural and policy zeitgeist. This article reviews the proliferation of literature surrounding this concept. It explores the origins and history of the concept, as well as the arguments surrounding its geological formalization and starting date ranging from the Pleistocene to the twentieth century. It examines perspectives and critiques of the concept from the Earth system sciences, ecological and geological sciences, and social sciences and humanities, exploring its role as a cultural zeitgeist and ideological provocation. I conclude by offering a personal perspective on the concept of the Anthropocene and its utility.

中文翻译：

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人类世的概念

人类世，即地球已进入以人类统治行星系统为特征的新地质时代的概念，是学术界和更广泛的文化和政策时代思潮中日益流行的辩论框架。本文回顾了围绕这一概念的文献激增。它探讨了该概念的起源和历史，以及围绕其地质形式化和从更新世到 20 世纪的起始日期的争论。它从地球系统科学、生态和地质科学、社会科学和人文学科审视了对这一概念的观点和批评，探索了它作为文化时代精神和意识形态挑衅的作用。最后，我就人类世的概念及其效用提出了个人观点。