Abstract

Biomimicry—the imitation of nature—is an increasingly popular approach to innovation. In its contemporary form, it aims to imitate only the functional features of natural entities (how they work), not their aesthetic ones (what they look like), conceptualizing the latter as a separate design approach: bio-morphism. In keeping with this, philosophers have analysed biomimicry in relation to four mains branches of philosophy: ontology, philosophy of technology, ethics, and epistemology—but not aesthetics. Drawing on recent research into the concept of aesthetic sustainability, as well as the biophilia hypothesis and the field of evolutionary aesthetics, I argue that this neglect or exclusion of aesthetics is problematic. This argument is then further explored and developed in the context of three specific fields of innovation: plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) and artificial meat; biomimetic urban design; and ecological art.