John Dewey and Environmental Philosophy

Download or read book John Dewey and Environmental Philosophy written by Hugh P. McDonald and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive look at how John Dewey's ethics can inform environmental issues. Hugh P. McDonald’s John Dewey and Environmental Philosophy breaks new ground by applying Dewey’s insights to a new approach to philosophy of the environment; the concern for the rights of animals; the preservation of rare species, habitats, and landscapes; and the health of the whole ecology. The book summarizes much of the current literature on environmental ethics, concentrating on the writings of major figures in the movement: Tom Regan, J. Baird Callicott, Holmes Rolston, and Bryan Norton. The heart of the book consists of a detailed analysis of Dewey’s ethics, his theory of intrinsic value, and his holistic approach to moral justification. Arguing against the idea that Dewey’s philosophy is anthropocentric, McDonald makes a strong case that using Dewey’s philosophy will result in a superior framework for environmental ethics. Hugh P. McDonald teaches philosophy at New York City College of Technology (CUNY). He is the author of Political Philosophy and Ideology: A Critique of Political Essentialism.