Environmental Ethics: Divergence and Convergence (Paperback)

by Richard G. Botzler (Editor), Susan J. Armstrong (Editor) "Science offers a perspective that strongly influences environmental decisions..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, United States, Aldo Leopold (more...)

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Product Description
This anthology, edited by a professor of wild-life science and a professor of philosophy, offers the most current and comprehensive collection on the topic of environmental ethics available today. It surveys diverse approaches to environmental ethics by leading writers from a variety of disciplines, and provides an historical survey of thought on our responsibility to the environment. The perspectives are represented by their most articulate spokespersons and are accompanied by appraisals of their respective strengths and weaknesses. Chapter introductions, headnotes, discussion questions, and annotated bibliographies are provided. Twenty eight of the 64 articles are new. The new edition deletes those articles with which students had difficulty because they were hard to read and substitutes newer or better-written articles. All chapter introductions were revised to reflect changes in the field. New topics include biodiversity, ecological restoration, environmental justice, and genetic engineering. A new section in the appendix on conflict resolution was requested by students.

About the Author
Susan J. Armstrong is Professor of Philosophy at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. She has taught environmental ethics with Prof. Richard G. Botzler since l983. Her dissertation "The Rights of Nonhuman Beings: A Whiteheadian Study" (1976) is considered to be the first dissertation written on environmental ethics. (Available online at www.humboldt.edu/~phil/susan.html). Susan is a member of the Editorial Board of Environmental Ethics. She has written a number of articles and book chapters on process philosophy and recently co-edited The Animal Ethics Reader (Routledge 2003) with Richard G. Botzler. She was nominated for Outstanding Professor in l989 and 2002.

Richard Botzler is a Professor of Wildlife at Humboldt State University. He has served as a Fulbright Fellow to the Federal Republic of Germany and as editor for the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Rick has authored over 40 journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and book reviews in wildlife health and diseases, science ethics, and environmental ethics. He was selected as Humboldt State University's outstanding professor for 1991 and as 1992 outstanding professor for the 20-campus California State University. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Wildlife Disease Association. Rick enjoys hiking the backcountry of Humboldt County and cycling. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 696 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Langua; 2nd edition (August 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070061807
• ISBN-13: 978-0070061804
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,478,829 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent introduction to key environmental debates, June 22, 2000

By	R. Griffiths "bookchoice" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A very useful undergraduate level reader in environmental ethics. I use it in the course I teach in the UK. It would also make a good tool for self-teaching or for self-led small group study. For each chapter of readings there are discussion topics, an exercise, suggestions for a debate and a selection of further reading. The wide-ranging readings are carefully chosen, edited and arranged into key themes such as morality, aesthetics, ecofeminism and environmetnal ethics in society. The only other book to cover similar material in a similar manner is Louis Pojman's 'Environmental Ethics: Readings in Theory and Practice'. In my opinion they are equally valuable, making it difficult (should it be neccessary) to choose between them. From a British perspective they both lack historical depth. Botzler and Armstrong's book has only two readings from the eighteenth century or earlier (St Francis and Kant) but this can be supplied from elsewhere if needed.