Living Through the End of Nature: The Future of American Environmentalism (The MIT Press)

Environmentalists have always worked to protect the wildness of nature but now must find a new direction. We have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option. Humanity's imprint is now everywhere and all efforts to "preserve" nature require extensive human intervention. At the same time, we are repeatedly told that there is no such thing as nature itself—only our own conceptions of it. One person's endangered species is another's dinner or source of income. In Living Through the End of Nature, Paul Wapner probes the meaning of environmentalism in a postnature age. Wapner argues that the end of nature represents not environmentalism's death knell but an opportunity to build a more effective political movement. He outlines the polarized positions of environmentalists, who strive to live in harmony with nature, and their opponents, who seek mastery over nature. Wapner argues that, without nature, neither of these two outlooks—the "dream of naturalism" or the "dream of mastery"—can be sustained today. Neither is appropriate for addressing such problems as biodiversity loss and climate change; we can neither go back to a preindustrial Elysium nor forward to a technological utopia. Instead, he proposes a third way that takes seriously the breached boundary between humans and nature and charts a co-evolutionary path in which environmentalists exploit the tension between naturalism and mastery to build a more sustainable, ecologically vibrant, and socially just world. Beautifully written and thoughtfully argued, Living Through the End of Nature provides a powerful vision for environmentalism's future. Environmentalists Have Always Worked To Protect The Wildness Of Nature But Now Must Find A New Direction. We Have So Tamed, Colonized, And Contaminated The Natural World That Safeguarding It From Humans Is No Longer An Option. Humanity's Imprint Is Now Every Where And All Efforts To Preserve Nature Require Extensive Human Intervention. At The Same Time, We Are Repeatedly Told That There Is No Such Thing As Nature Itself - Only Our Own Conceptions Of It. One Person's Endangered Species Is Another's Dinner Or Source Of Income. In Living Through The End Of Nature, Paul Wapner Probes The Meaning Of Environmentalism In A Postnature Age. Wapner Argues That The End Of Nature Represents Not Environmentalism's Death Knell But An Opportunity To Build A More Effective Political Movement. He Outlines The Polarized Positions Of Environmentalists, Who Strive To Live In Harmony With Nature, And Their Opponents, Who Seek Mastery Over Nature. Wapner Argues That, Without Nature, Neither Of These Two Outlooks - The Dream Of Naturalism Or The Dream Of Mastery--can Be Sustained Today. Neither Is Appropriate For Addressing Such Problems As Biodiversity Loss And Climate Change; We Can Neither Go Back To A Preindustrial Elysium Nor Forward To A Technological Utopia. Instead, He Proposes A Third Way That Takes Seriously The Breached Boundary Between Humans And Nature And Charts A Co-evolutionary Path In Which Environmentalists Exploit The Tension Between Naturalism And Mastery To Build A More Sustainable, Ecologically Vibrant, And Socially Just World.--jacket. American Environmentalism And Boundaries -- The Dream Of Naturalism -- The Dream Of Mastery -- The Great Vanishing : Into The Postnature World -- The Nature Of Wilderness -- The Nature Of Climate Change -- Being An Environmentalist : Decisive Uncertainty And The Future Of American Environmentalism. Paul Wapner. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [237]-248) And Index. How environmentalism can reinvent itself in a postnature age: a proposal for navigating between naive naturalism and technological arrogance.Environmentalists have always worked to protect the wildness of nature but now must find a new direction. We have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option. Humanity's imprint is now everywhere and all efforts to “preserve” nature require extensive human intervention. At the same time, we are repeatedly told that there is no such thing as nature itself—only our own conceptions of it. One person's endangered species is another's dinner or source of income. In Living Through the End of Nature, Paul Wapner probes the meaning of environmentalism in a postnature age. Wapner argues that we can neither go back to a preindustrial Elysium nor forward to a technological utopia. He proposes a third way that takes seriously the breached boundary between humans and nature and charts a co-evolutionary path in which environmentalists exploit the tension between naturalism and mastery to build a more sustainable, ecologically vibrant, and socially just world.Beautifully written and thoughtfully argued, Living Through the End of Nature provides a powerful vision for environmentalism's future How environmentalism can reinvent itself in a postnature a proposal for navigating between naive naturalism and technological arrogance. Environmentalists have always worked to protect the wildness of nature but now must find a new direction. We have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option. Humanity's imprint is now everywhere and all efforts to "preserve" nature require extensive human intervention. At the same time, we are repeatedly told that there is no such thing as nature itself--only our own conceptions of it. One person's endangered species is another's dinner or source of income. In Living Through the End of Nature , Paul Wapner probes the meaning of environmentalism in a postnature age. Wapner argues that we can neither go back to a preindustrial Elysium nor forward to a technological utopia. He proposes a third way that takes seriously the breached boundary between humans and nature and charts a co-evolutionary path in which environmentalists exploit the tension between naturalism and mastery to build a more sustainable, ecologically vibrant, and socially just world. Beautifully written and thoughtfully argued, Living Through the End of Nature provides a powerful vision for environmentalism's future Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Note on Photographs and Sources......Page 12 1 - Introduction......Page 16 2 - American Environmentalism and Boundaries......Page 50 3 - The Dream of Naturalism......Page 68 4 - The Dream of Mastery......Page 94 5 - The Great Vanishing: Into the Postnature World......Page 122 6 - The Nature of Wilderness......Page 148 7 - The Nature of Climate Change......Page 184 8 - Being an Environmentalist: Decisive Uncertainty and the Future of American Environmentalism......Page 216 Notes......Page 236 References......Page 252 Index......Page 264 The MIT Press Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Note on Photographs and Sources 12 1 - Introduction 16 2 - American Environmentalism and Boundaries 50 3 - The Dream of Naturalism 68 4 - The Dream of Mastery 94 5 - The Great Vanishing: Into the Postnature World 122 6 - The Nature of Wilderness 148 7 - The Nature of Climate Change 184 8 - Being an Environmentalist: Decisive Uncertainty and the Future of American Environmentalism 216 Notes 236 References 252 Index 264 ISBN-13:,9780262014151