Eco-Republic : What the Ancients Can Teach Us About Ethics, Virtue, and Sustainable Living

An ecologically sustainable society cannot be achieved without citizens who possess the virtues and values that will foster it, and who believe that individual actions can indeed make a difference. __Eco-Republic__ draws on ancient Greek thought--and Plato's __Republic__ in particular--to put forward a new vision of citizenship that can make such a society a reality. Melissa Lane develops a model of a society whose health and sustainability depend on all its citizens recognizing a shared standard of value and shaping their personal goals and habits accordingly. Bringing together the moral and political ideas of the ancients with the latest social and psychological theory, Lane illuminates the individual's vital role in social change, and articulates new ways of understanding what is harmful and what is valuable, what is a benefit and what is a cost, and what the relationship between public and private well-being ought to be. __Eco-Republic__ reveals why we must rethink our political imagination if we are to meet the challenges of climate change and other urgent environmental concerns. Offering a unique reflection on the ethics and politics of sustainability, the book goes beyond standard approaches to virtue ethics in philosophy and current debates about happiness in economics and psychology. __Eco-Republic__ explains why health is a better standard than happiness for capturing the important links between individual action and social good, and diagnoses the reasons why the ancient concept of virtue has been sorely neglected yet is more relevant today than ever. Ancient lessons for sustainable citizenship An ecologically sustainable society cannot be achieved without citizens who possess the virtues and values that will foster it, and who believe that individual actions can indeed make a difference. Eco-Republic draws on ancient Greek thought—and Plato's Republic in particular—to put forward a new vision of citizenship that can make such a society a reality. Melissa Lane develops a model of a society whose health and sustainability depend on all its citizens recognizing a shared standard of value and shaping their personal goals and habits accordingly. Bringing together the moral and political ideas of the ancients with the latest social and psychological theory, Lane illuminates the individual's vital role in social change, and articulates new ways of understanding what is harmful and what is valuable, what is a benefit and what is a cost, and what the relationship between public and private well-being ought to be. Eco-Republic reveals why we must rethink our political imagination if we are to meet the challenges of climate change and other urgent environmental concerns. Offering a unique reflection on the ethics and politics of sustainability, the book goes beyond standard approaches to virtue ethics in philosophy and current debates about happiness in economics and psychology. Eco-Republic explains why health is a better standard than happiness for capturing the important links between individual action and social good, and diagnoses the reasons why the ancient concept of virtue has been sorely neglected yet is more relevant today than ever. An Ecologically Sustainable Society Cannot Be Achieved Without Citizens Who Possess The Virtues And Values That Will Foster It, And Who Believe That Individual Actions Can Indeed Make A Difference. Eco-republic Draws On Ancient Greek Thought--and Plato's Republic In Particular--to Put Forward A New Vision Of Citizenship That Can Make Such A Society A Reality. Melissa Lane Develops A Model Of A Society Whose Health And Sustainability Depend On All Its Citizens Recognizing A Shared Standard Of Value And Shaping Their Personal Goals And Habits Accordingly. Bringing Together The Moral And Political Ideas Of The Ancients With The Latest Social And Psychological Theory, Lane Illuminates The Individual's Vital Role In Social Change, And Articulates New Ways Of Understanding What Is Harmful And What Is Valuable, What Is A Benefit And What Is A Cost, And What The Relationship Between Public And Private Well-being Ought To Be. Eco-republic Reveals Why We Must Rethink Our Political Imagination If We Are To Meet The Challenges Of Climate Change And Other Urgent Environmental Concerns. Inertia -- Imagination -- Initiative. Melissa Lane. [p]ublished By Arrangement With Peter Lang Ltd; First Published In 2011 By Peter Lang Ltd--t.p. Verso. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [219]-233) And Index. Contents Acknowledgements Part I. INERTIA Prologue to Chapter 1: Plato’s Cave 1. Introduction: Inertia as Failure of the Political Imagination An Unconsciously Platonic Prologue to Chapter 2: Carbon Detox 2. From Greed to Glory: Ancient to Modern Ethics – and Back Again? Prologue to Chapter 3: Plato’s Ring of Gyges 3. Underpinning Inertia: The Idea of Negligibility Part II. IMAGINATION Prologue to Chapter 4: Post-Platonic Perspectives on the Republic 4. Meet Plato’s Republic Prologue to Chapter 5: Plato on Why Virtue Matters 5. The City and the Soul Prologue to Chapter 6: Plato’s Idea of the Good 6. The Idea of the Good Part III. INITIATIVE Prologue to Chapter 7: Revisiting Plato’s Cave 7. Initiative and Individuals: A (Partly) Platonic Political Project Notes Works Cited Index An ecologically sustainable society cannot be achieved without citizens who possess the virtues and values that will foster it, and who believe that individual actions can indeed make a difference. This book draws on ancient Greek thought to put forward a vision of citizenship that can make such a society a reality.