The unity of nature : wholeness and disintegration in ecology and science / Alan Marshall.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Marshall, Alan, 1969-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ecology--Philosophy.

Ecology.

Concord.

Philosophy of nature.

Integration (Theory of knowledge).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vii, 280 p. ) ill.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London : Imperial College Press, c2002.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The idea behind this text is a strong theoretical theme in a number of scientific and environmental fields from ecosystems ecology, through quantum physics to environmental philosophy and ecopolitics. This gives rise to an optimistic, socially-responsive and environment-friendly worldview. The idea behind this text is a strong theoretical theme in a number of scientific and environmental fields from ecosystems ecology, through quantum physics to environmental philosophy and ecopolitics giving rise to an inspiring, optimistic, socially-responsive and environment-friendly worldview. The fields of science and environmentalism have inherited this theme of natural unity through an intellectual lineage that encompasses many non-scientific and non-environmental fields such as sociology, theology and political philosophy. Many of these fields have used natural unity in a way which is in stark opposition to the metaphysical and political desires of those who promulgate the unity of nature for progressive social change.;This work discusses how this has transpired and examines the social and intellectual processes that have been at work. These include the social construction of the Organicism versus Mechanicism debate in ecology, the intellectual links between neo-classical economic principles and the "New Sciences", the techno-scientific background of Gaia theory, and the social conservatism of ecological functionalism.

Contents:

Contents: It's All an Environmentalist Plot!: Unity as an Environmental Idea: An Introduction to the Unity of Nature in Contemporary Thought; It's All a Bourgeois Plot!: Falling into Wholes: Ecological Fascism; Gaia: The Technocentric Embodiment of the Unity of Nature?; Natural Conservatism: The Unity of Nature and Social Systems; Uniting the Ecosystem with the Economy; It's All a Postmodern Plot(lessness)!: What is This Thing Called Postmodern Science?; Mechanicism vs Organicism: A False Dichotomy?; An (Other) Postmodern Ecology.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781860949548

1860949541

OCLC:

879025281