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The forbidden flesh: Cultural meanings of humans, animals, and the natural world

Humans have tried to separate themselves from nature and to gain an understanding of what it means to be human, through studies of nature. Ideas of human nature have political and ideological implications, and are thus important in providing information about what it means to be human and what the relation to animals and the environment "ought" to be like. The ideology of human nature makes the world hence meaningful and points out what kind of actions regarding environmental issues are appropriate. The understanding of human nature and the human relationship with nature is culturally and historically produced. Humans' cultural conception thus also influences what kind of relationships are seen as desirable with particular animals. Different animals are seen as having different relations to humans, relations in which all animals are not seen as being equal. Some animals are defined edible, others are defined as companions.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/278466
Date January 1994
CreatorsLoftsdóttir, Kristín, 1968-
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic)
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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