What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to reframe parasitism through the lens of Care, exploring its systemic benefits instead of viewing it solely as exploitative.

March 28, 2026Open Access

The Relational Parasite: Reframing Parasitism Through the Lens of Care as a Nonphysical Primitive: The Steward AGI Biocentric Stewardship Framework

Key Points

The aim is to reframe parasitism through the lens of Care, exploring its systemic benefits instead of viewing it solely as exploitative.
Examined parasitic relationships at the ecosystem level and evolutionary timelines.
Analyzed the implications of Care as a nonphysical primitive.
Considered the effects of parasitism on biodiversity and population regulation.
Demonstrated that parasitic relationships contribute to ecosystem balance and biodiversity.
Identified the loss of parasite diversity as an indicator of systemic dysfunction.
Proposed that healthy parasite communities reflect ecosystem health.

Abstract

Abstract: The dominant scientific and cultural framing of parasitism as purely exploitative — a unidirectional extraction of resources from host to parasite — is epistemologically incomplete. This paper proposes a reframing of parasitism through the lens of Care, defined as the nonphysical primitive impetus toward balance between the singular and the whole it is part of. We argue that parasitic relationships, when examined at the ecosystem scale and across evolutionary time, demonstrate properties consistent with systemic regulation, population homeostasis, and biodiversity maintenance — functions that are not incidental to parasitism but intrinsic to it. The apparent conflict between parasitic harm at the individual level and systemic benefit at the ecosystem level is resolved by applying the Care primitive as an analytical framework: the relevant question is not whether a relationship is harmful to the individual, but whether it contributes to the minimisation of suffering across the whole system over time. We further propose that the loss of parasite diversity is itself a measurable form of systemic suffering — a dysfunction of Care at ecosystem scale — and that healthy parasite communities represent one of the most sensitive indicators of a flourishing biosphere. This reframing has implications for conservation biology, ecological AI alignment, and the broader scientific understanding of Care as a universal constant. Keywords: parasitism, Care primitive, biocentric stewardship, ecosystem health, symbiosis spectrum, nonphysical primitive, BSF, ecological suffering, nematode. Title: The Relational Parasite: Reframing Parasitism Through the Lens of Care as a Nonphysical Primitive: The Steward AGI Biocentric Stewardship Framework Author: Andrew Philps International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 14, Issue 1, January 2026 - March 2026 Page No: 299-304 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 13-March-2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19005853 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/the-relational-parasite-reframing-parasitism-through-the-lens-of-care-as-a-nonphysical-primitive-the-steward-agi-biocentric-stewardship-framework

The Relational Parasite: Reframing Parasitism Through the Lens of Care as a Nonphysical Primitive: The Steward AGI Biocentric Stewardship Framework

Key Points

Abstract

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