philosophy of nature

"As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry's relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth-its abundance of sweet, juicy berries-to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, "Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.""--Provided by publisher.

". . . highlights how acknowledging and celebrating our reciprocal relationship with the earth results in a wider, more complete understanding of our place and purpose"--Book flap.

Contains two short pieces by seventeenth-century writer Francis Bacon, including "New Atlantis," a utopian story about a mythical land called Bensalem; and "The Great Instauration," an introduction to Bacon's thought on scientific method.

The author discusses ways to heal the rift between people and nature.

Explains how the environment has played a key role in virtually every social, economic, and political development in America since the beginning of time.

Relates biologist David Haskell's observations as she returns every week for a year to the same square-meter patch of old-growth forest in Tennessee.

An anthology beginning with essays from Emerson's "Self-reliance," and containing his "Friendship" and Thoreau's "Walden" and "Civil Disobedience." Includes a glossary and notes.

Examines the image of what the author calls the Ecological Indian--the Native North American as ecologist and conservationist, and considers how faithfully that image reflects Native North American cultures and behavior through time.

"Jane Goodall examines the critical role that trees and plants play in our world"--Provided by the publisher.

Argues that humans are on the brink of being able to manage nature, discusses issues such as climate stability, extinctions, and global warming, and looks at emerging fields of science, including geonomic, complexity theory, and experimental ecology, and how they might affect the relationship between humans and nature.