Vol 3 no 4 1986 articles the basic principles of deep ecology pdf. Respect for diversity leads us to recognize the ecological wisdom that grows specific to place and context. Fifteen years thinking on the principles of deep ecology has been summarized by naess and george sessions in eight basic principles, elucidated in the book deep ecology. In citing the minority tradition as their inspiration, deep ecologists comb through the cultural traditions of precapitalist, nonurban, preindustrial pri. Deep ecology s core principle is the belief that the living environment as a whole should be respected and regarded as having certain basic moral and legal rights to live and flourish, independent of its instrumental benefits for human use. Eight principles of deep ecology permaculture project. The flourishing of nonhuman life requires such a decrease.
Widely read in it first printing, deep ecology has established itself. The ideas of deep ecology came about against the background of the nascent environmentalism of the 1960s. Deep ecology is so named for its capacity to look at the deeper social, economic and spiritual questions behind the environmental crisis. Foundation for deep ecology the deep ecology platform. Deep ecology is concerned with fundamental philosophical, practical and personal questions about humans relating to their environment. Basic principles of deep ecology environment ecology. The tragedy of industrial forestry,simple in means, rich in ends. The statement was offered not as a rigid or dogmatic manifesto but rather as a set of fairly general principles that could help people articulate their own deep ecological positions.
San francisco chronicle this book is an attempt at codifying a scattered body of ecological insight into a philosophy that places human beings on an absolutely equal footing with all other creatures on the planet. Deep ecology is a comprehensive worldview of humans in harmony with nature, an ecosophy ecowisdom that responds to ecological crisis. Although these principles outline the basic values of deep ecology, they also carry with them several flaws that limit their practice bradford, 1989. Creative commons attributionnoncommercialnoderivatives 4. The book encourages readers to identify their own series of such parameters their own ecosophies. It relates to animals because animals live in nature and are part of our environment. Basic principles of deep ecology the anarchist library. A sand county almanac and sketches here and there by aldo leopold, ecology, community and lifestyle. Foundation for deep ecology the deep ecology movement. Deep ecology believes people should be allowed to enjoy material items, but should try to stick to just fulfilling their basic needs. It is also a movement to translate this worldview into radical societal reform. Critiques of deep ecology the deepecological principles of biocentric egalitarianism and metaphysical holism have elicited robust critiques. Rational beings humans are the only lifeforms of value.
The eight principles of deep ecology an environmental article from from. The deep movement involves deep questioning, right down to fundamental root. The deep ecology platform principles are a step in this direction. Deep ecology is an ecological and environmental philosophy promoting the inherent worth of. Adherents of the deep ecology movement share a dislike of.
Naess said that supporters of the deep ecology movement embrace its principles as a result of a deep questioning of mainstream values, beliefs, and. Some of the most interesting debates have centered on the normative status of deep ecology. Alan drengson is an emeritus professor at the university of victoria in british columbia, canada. For example, in the case of crops this is the living soil. Supporters of the deep ecology movement contrast their position with shallow reform movements, holding that every living being has intrinsic or inherent. Deep ecology can also be seen as part of a much wider process of questioning of basic assumptions in our society that is leading to a new way of looking at science, politics, healthcare, education, spirituality and many other areas. Deep questioning the eight principles of deep ecology with fritjof capra, arne naess, george sessions, doug thomkins, harold glasser and stephanie mills. Thus, supporters of the deep ecology movement emphasize placespecific, ecological wisdom, and vernacular technology practices. Despite a general distaste for deep ecology and its associated superstitions, i found myself very much appreciating naess take on deep ecology and holding great respect for this his attempt to construct a worldview that is informed by the basic principles of ecology all things. George sessions is an emeritus professor of philosophy at sierra college, and edited deep ecology for the twentyfirst century.
He was also the associate editor of a tenvolume collection of naesss works, the selected works of arne naess, published in 2005 by the foundation for deep ecology. Issn 08326193 print issn 17059429 online published by. The deep ecology platform in 1984 naess and sessions devised an eightpoint statement, or platform, for deep ecology. Inherent value the wellbeing and flourishing of human and nonhuman life on earth have value in themselves synonyms.
Deep ecology international society for the study of. 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. He considers the publication of carsons 1962 book silent spring as the beginning of the contemporary deep ecology movement. I would consider this to be more of a handbook than an actual book, and really it resonates with me more as a piece of aphoristic literature than anything else. Drawing on an eclectic range of sources thoreau, muir, naess, eastern spirituality, native american earth wisdom, anarchist social ecology, gandhian nonviolence, 60s environmental radicalism, etc. The term deep ecology was coined by norwegian philosopher arne naess in 1972, based on earlier work and inspiration of persons such as henry david thoreau, john muir, robinson jeffers, aldo leopold, rachel carson, david brower, et al. At their core both these streams of human insight are spiritual. Dec 12, 2012 this book is a quirky classic, a veritable cornucopia of 60s countercultural buzz words, utopianism, and mystical mush.
Proponents of shallow ecology subscribe to four basic principles. Deep ecologys core principle is the belief that the living environment as a whole should be respected and regarded as having certain basic moral and legal rights to live and flourish, independent of its instrumental benefits for human use. Although some ecofeminists indicate sympathy with deep ecologys basic goal, namely, protecting natural phenomena from human destruction, others have sharply criticized deep ecology. The wellbeing and flourishing of human and nonhuman life on earth have value in themselves. The changes in policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. Each gives rise to and supports the other, whilst the entire system is, what naess would call, an ecosophy. In april 1984, during the advent of spring and john muirs birthday. Nourishment and wellbeing are achieved through the ecology of the specific production environment. Deep ecology explores the philosophical, psychological, and sociological roots of todays environmental movement, examines the humancentered assumptions behind most approaches to nature, explores the possibilities of an expanded human consciousness, and offers specific direct action suggestions for individuals to practice. Eight principles of deep ecology a rne naess 19122009 was a norwegian philosopher, mountaineer, and green party activist who founded the school of deep ecology.
The deep ecology movement foundation for deep ecology. Deep ecology has been elaborated in numerous books and articles since then by naess and many other voices. There are other uses of ecology, such as in human ecology, but our relationship to all the other life forms that share this common home with us is so basic that it needs to be more. Fundamentals of ecology and environment covers the basic concepts, ideas, major findings and current challenges. Deep ecologys core principle is the belief that the living environment as a whole should be. Popular deep ecology books meet your next favorite book. James lovelock, in his 2006 book on climate change, articulates this or a similar critique while discussing carson and the mainstream green political movement. Deep ecology would support the view of aldo leopold in his book a. May 15, 2017 you should do a little research for yourself to discover those examples.
This book is an attempt at codifying a scattered body of ecological insight into a. The wellbeing and flourishing of human and nonhuman life on earth have value in. Arne naess university of oslo, and founder of the deep. Based on the principles written by arne naess and george sessions. The principles apply to all species, including humans. The deep ecology movement began in oslo, norway, with its founder arne naess and his now classic 1973 paper the shallow and the deep, longrange ecology movement naess, 1973. False, it is essential for humankind to only use resources to fulfill their basic needs because going back to a simpler way of life is in the interest of all creatures. As knowledge and best practice in the ecology are constantly changing, the. Deep ecology contrasted with animal rights helping to see animal rights from another perspective. Practicing deep ecology, and living richly in an age of limits. In citing the minority tradition as their inspiration, deep ecologists comb through the cultural. Deep ecologys core principle is the belief that the living environment as. The basic principles of deep ecology the trumpeter. Deep ecology and animals animal rights free online book.
Eight principles of deep ecology based on the principles written by arne naess and george sessions. Hence, the title of cattons article in the book, deep ecology. These values are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes. It covers the basic principles of deep ecology including the need for a. The deep ecology platform foundation for deep ecology. He is the author of the practice of technology 1995, and coeditor of the deep ecology movement 1995 and ecoforestry 1997. Deep ecology is often framed in terms of the idea of a much broader sociality.
Deep ecology predicts that if we do not shift our basic values and customs we will destroy the diversity and beauty of the worlds life and its ability to support humanity. 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 basic principles of deep ecology george sessions and arne naess, 1984 1. Deep ecology is a term coined by norwegian philosopher arne naess in 1972. This is a five minute video introducing the difference between deep ecology and shallow ecology in environmental ethics. Critiques of deep ecology the deep ecological principles of biocentric egalitarianism and metaphysical holism have elicited robust critiques. Basic principles of deep ecology basic principles in april 1984, during the advent of spring and john muirs birthday, george sessions and arne n. Jan 01, 1981 arne naess ecology, community and lifestyle is a nice book. There is a funding organization called the foundation for deep ecology. Fox in toward a transpersonal ecology has summed up the diverse history of ideas and disparate movements that eventually gave birth to deep ecology. Though the principles of carrying capacity are easy to observe and understand for the lemming, those same principles apply to much more complicated habitats, including the whole earth. If the fulfillment of human needs is hampered by damage to the environment, then it is a matter for concern. Eight principles of deep ecology written by arne naess and george sessions hits. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionnoncommercialnoderivatives 4.