Looking for inspiration (in nature and philosophy)
In terms of disciplines, I feel most at home with ecological (micro) economics. In terms of philosophy of science, with critical realism and perhaps especially its least popular moment (the philosophy of metaReality). In terms of environmental philosophy, deep ecology is where I look for inspiration. Many of its premises align with how I see the world, our place and role in it, the role of science, the meaning of sustainability etc.
Recently I found a wonderful chapter in Sessions (1995). It is by Arne Naess
and is called “Deep ecology and lifestyle”. It was originally published in The
Paradox of Environmentalism (edited by Neil Everndon, Ontario, Canada: Faculty
of Environmental Studies, York University, 1984). Revised 1993. The reference
to the work I used is the following:
Naess,
A. (1995) Deep ecology and lifestyle. In Sessions, G. ed. Deep ecology for
the 21st century: Readings on the philosophy and practice of the new
environmentalism. London: Shambhala, pp. 259-261.
In
this chapter, Naess outlined a list of “tendencies and attitudes characteristic
of supporters of the Deep Ecology movement” (Naess, 1995, p. 259). To draw the
list, he used his personal observations. These tendencies and attitudes are
very closely related to my own practice of simple, harmonious living. Here are
the ones Naess lists (pp. 259-261, Italics original):
- Use of simple means. Avoidance of
unnecessary complicated means to reach a goal or end.
- Propensity to prefer activities
most directly serving values in themselves and having intrinsic value.
Avoidance of activities which are merely auxiliary, having no intrinsic value,
or being many stages away from fundamental goals.
- Anticonsumerism and minimization of personal property. This negative attitude follows from points 1 and 2.
- Endeavor to maintain and increase the sensitivity and appreciation of goods of which there is enough for all to enjoy.
- Absence or low degree of
“novophilia” – the love of what is new merely because it is new. Cherishing old
and well-worn things.
- Efforts to dwell in situations of
intrinsic value and to act rather than merely being busy.
- Appreciation of ethnic and cultural
differences among people, not feeling them as threats.
- Concern about the situation of the Third and Fourth Worlds and the attempt to avoid a material standard of living too much different from and higher than the needy (global solidarity of lifestyle).
- Appreciation of lifestyles which are universalizable, which are not blatantly impossible to sustain without injustice toward fellow humans or other species.
- To go for depth and richness of
experience rather than intensity.
- To appreciate and choose, whenever
possible, meaningful work rather than just making a living.
- To lead a complex (not a
complicated) life; trying to realize as many aspects of positive experiences as
possible within each time-interval.
- Cultivating life in community (Gemeinschaft)
rather than in society (Gesellschaft).
- Appreciation of, or participation
in, primary production – small-scale agriculture, forestry, fishing.
- Efforts to satisfy vital needs
rather than desires. Resisting the urge to “go shopping” as a diversion or
therapy. Reducing the sheer number of possessions, favouring the old,
much-worn, but essentially well-kept things.
- Attempts to live in nature rather
than just visiting beautiful places, and avoidance of tourism (but
occasionally making use of tourist facilities).
- When in vulnerable nature, living
“light and traceless.”
- Tendency to appreciate all
life-forms rather than merely those considered beautiful, remarkable, or
narrowly useful.
- Never use life-forms merely as
means. Remain conscious of their intrinsic value and dignity even when using
them as resources.
- When there is a conflict between
the interests of dogs and cats (and other pet animals) and wild species, a
tendency to protect the latter.
- Efforts to protect local ecosystems, not only individual life-forms, feeling one’s own community as a part of ecosystems.
- Not only to deplore excessive
interference in nature as unnecessary, unreasonable, and disrespectful, but to
condemn it as insolent, atrocious, outrageous, and criminal – without
condemning the people responsible for the interference.
- Try to act resolutely and without
cowardice in conflicts, but to remain non-violent in word and deeds.
- Participate in or support of
non-violent direct action when other ways of action fail.
- Vegetarianism, total or partial.