Ecology without Nature - Softcover

Morton, Timothy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0674034856 ISBN 13: 9780674034853

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Synopsis

In "Ecology without Nature", Timothy Morton argues that the chief stumbling block to environmental thinking is the image of nature that most writers on the topic promote: they propose a new worldview, but their very zeal to preserve the natural world leads them away from the "nature" they revere. The problem is a symptom of a far deeper situation - of accepting the idea of "ecology without nature". That is, to have a properly ecological view, we must relinquish, once and for all, the idea of nature. Developing a fresh vocabulary for reading "environmentality" in both content and form, Morton shows that representations of nature inevitably become metaphysical. Ranging widely in 18th to 20th Century literature, philosophy, culture, and the arts, Morton explores the value of art in imagining environmental conditions for the future. In short, the idea of nature has served much the same function in the modern period as the aesthetic has - that of healing what society has damaged; but as a result, unrealistic expectations have developed. Morton investigates our ecological assumptions in a way that is provocative and deeply engaging.

About this title

About the Author

Timothy Morton is Professor of Literature and Environment, University of California, Davis.

From the Inside Flap

In "Ecology without Nature," Timothy Morton argues that the chief stumbling block to environmental thinking is the image of nature itself. Ecological writers propose a new worldview, but their very zeal to preserve the natural world leads them away from the "nature" they revere. The problem is a symptom of the ecological catastrophe in which we are living. Morton sets out a seeming paradox: to have a properly ecological view, we must relinquish the idea of nature once and for all. "Ecology without Nature" investigates our ecological assumptions in a way that is provocative and deeply engaging. Ranging widely in eighteenth-century through contemporary philosophy, culture, and history, he explores the value of art in imagining environmental projects for the future. "Morton" develops a fresh vocabulary for reading "environmentality" in artistic form as well as content, and traces the contexts of ecological constructs through the history of capitalism. From John Clare to John Cage, from Kierkegaard to Kristeva, from The Lord of the Rings to electronic life forms, "Ecology without Nature" widens our view of ecological criticism, and deepens our understanding of ecology itself. Instead of trying to use an idea of nature to heal what society has damaged, Morton sets out a radical new form of ecological criticism: "dark ecology."

Edition details

• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0674034856
• ISBN 13: 9780674034853
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 262