The idea of obtaining knowledge from plants reminds me of a recent article I read in National Geographic about the imminent possibility of being able to translate sperm whale communication into human language. The article discussed the implications this could have for legal proceedings surrounding animal rights, ultimately suggesting that the ability to translate animal communication into human language could redefine the notion of legal personhood. While not directly pertaining to plants, this article got me thinking about how we define agency and knowledge in nature. If we only seriously consider the agency and interests of animals when we can understand them in our own language, then it is likely that we will never have that kind of empathy or respect for plants, as there is almost no chance of being able to translate plant communication into human language. Ultimately, this idea that we need to “translate nature” into human language in order for nature’s knowledge to be viable and worthy of respect hinders our ability to move toward the “more-than-human” framework necessary to create a more environmentally-conscious society. Our obsession with knowledge being encoded in the written or spoken word is a very limiting framework and ultimately perpetuates the idea of human exceptionalism. I think knowledge gained through experience is very powerful and is not always something that can be recorded or easily articulated. As the readings discussed, the knowledge gained from experience is what allows plants to respond to their environment and adapt to climatic changes. This is a clear sign that plants have their own agency and self-interests that don’t require any form of translation to be legitimate. So, I think it is important for us as humans to develop greater empathy and respect for non-human entities regardless of whether or not we can communicate with them. Plants and animals shouldn’t need to be able to defend themselves in a court of law to be able to gain the rights and protections we grant humans, and they shouldn’t need to speak in English for us to take their knowledge seriously.