A number of thinkers are becoming increasingly persuaded
that our anthropocentric view of nature is inadequate, that we
need a "new morality" with regard to the environment. In this
essay, I argue that an alternative to anthropocentricism is
available to us now-and has been since at least 1836. I look at
three "checkpoints" in the evolution of environmental theory as
proof of this: 1) the publication of Emerson's book Nature, 2)
Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, and 3) the contemporary
writing of Gretel Ehrlich, Gary Snyder, Wendell Berry, Mary
Oliver, and A. R. Ammons. In short, I show that all these writers
describe an aesthetic basis with which we may view nature that
leads to a system of ethical values. What they advocate is a
"moral framework" which I call noticing. My primary thesis is
that we don't need a "new morality": we need only turn to the
existing one these writers describe-and acknowledge it. / Graduation date: 1992
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/37373 |
| Date | 16 April 1992 |
| Creators | West, Rex Alan, 1967- |
| Contributors | Robinson, David |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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