Regarding Nature

Andrew McLaughlin is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Herbert H. Lehman College, City University of New York.

"This book draws together insights in environmental philosophy and progressive political thought and discusses, in an accessible manner, a number of central issues and problems confronting the modern environmental movement. This will be of considerable appeal to liberal and left-leaning social progressives who have tended to dismiss much of modern environmental philosophy for being either ahistorical or not sufficiently attuned to cultural and social variability in the way in which we 'regard nature.' The author helps to explain and demystify deep ecology for a general readership by drawing out the areas of continuity and discontinuity between deep ecology and progressive political thought in an effort to build theoretical and practical bridges that will facilitate social change. In short, the author is weaving the galaxy of issues, agendas, and ideologies of modern environmentalism into a strong personal statement and an accessible story for a general readership." — Robyn Eckersley, Politics Department, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia"McLaughlin has a firm position about ecology, but the main purpose of the book is not to argue it. Instead we get a rich and informative introduction to a whole series of different issues and controversies, and, in the course of that introduction, move toward the sort of position that McLaughlin wants to hold. Many philosophy books are combative in their style and tone; not this one. It is interesting, informative, and thought provoking, before it is a defense of a particular philosophical position. There is a striking correspondence between the style of writing the book and the position it puts forward." — Richard Schmitt, Philosophy Department, Brown University"Professor McLaughlin has written a book of the first importance regarding the philosophical and political questions that any serious contemplation of our ecological ills must raise. With admirable clarity and conceptual rigor, McLaughlin lays bare and critically examines the fundamental assumptions of the ideologies we find ourselves caught within—capitalism, socialism, industrialism, control, reductionist science, anthropocentrism, egocentrism. The upshot is a book of unusual breadth and depth that is guaranteed to clarify and deepen the reader's own thinking and action 'regarding nature.'" — Warwick Fox, author of Toward a Transpersonal Ecology"This is the deep ecology book many environmentalists will savor. Regarding Nature provides a fine exploration of the position that we must include the earth and its ecosystems as part of our ideology and our actions. It could well be a watershed work for activists groping for a way to approach a viable future." — Sierra Atlantic

• Preface 1. Regarding Nature: A Conceptual Introduction 2. Nature as Privately Owned: Capitalism 3. Nature as Owned by Everyone: Socialism 4. Nature as Resource: Industrialism 5. The Ideology of Control 6. Nature as Matter: Science 7. Reactive versus Ecological Environmentalism 8. The Critique of Anthropocentrism 9. Beyond Ethics to Deep Ecology 10. For a Radical Ecocentrism Notes Bibliography Index