Ecology, Community and Lifestyle

Abstract

The basic thesis of the work is that environmental problems are only to be solved by people - people who will be required to make value judgements in conflicts that go beyond narrowly conceived human concerns. Thus people require not only an ethical system, but a way of conceiving the world and themselves such that the intrinsic value of life and nature is obvious, a system based on 'deep ecological principles'. The book encourages readers to identify their own series of such parameters - their own ecosophies. Ecology, Comunity and Lifestyle will appeal to philosophers, specialists working on environmental issues, and the more general reader who is interested in learning some of the foundational ideas of the rapidly expanding field of environmental philosophy.

A Review of the Elements of Human Well-Being with an Emphasis on the Contribution of Ecosystem Services

“…Much of the impetus to include ecological information in a measure of wellbeing emanates from earlier views of including man as a part of ecosystems rather than simply as a stressor upon them. Principal among these viewpoints is the philosophy of Arne Naess (1989). Naess is the founder of deep ecology and a personal ecological philosophy called ecosophy T. Although a very rich and complex philosophy, Naess's ecosophy can be summed up as having self-realization as its core.…”

“…Naess is the founder of deep ecology and a personal ecological philosophy called ecosophy T. Although a very rich and complex philosophy, Naess's ecosophy can be summed up as having self-realization as its core. According to Naess, every being, whether human, animal, or vegetable has an equal right to live and to blossom (Naess 1989). Through this capitalized Self, Naess emphasized the realization of our selves as part of an ecospheric whole.…”

Biological diversity under development: a study of the co-production that is biological diversity

“…However, what is also shown through this study is how other dimensions and categories of actors have been important to the development of biological diversity, dimensions and actors, such as environmental ethics (see e.g. Naess and Rothenberg 1988;Rolstone III 1988; conservation movements (see e.g. Swanson 1997) and environmental non-governmental organisations (see e.g.…”

“…Alienated humans need to establish contact with nature to experience and get to know its many values, such as its intrinsic, ecological, scientific, transformative, economic and social amenity values (Takacs 1996; cf. Naess and Rothenberg 1988;Rolstone III 1988). To save nature from destruction, humans need to reconnect with it; humans need to know about biological diversity and the loss thereof.…”

“…The theory of biological diversity was built on science to present an ethic of living (cf. Naess and Rothenberg 1988;Rolstone III 1988). Through this combination of scientific facts and ethical values, biologists expanded the boundaries of science and the role of the scientist by creating a discourse allowing and dependent on knowledge production crossing disciplinary boundaries.…”