Environmental Consciousness, Nature and the Philosophy of Education

"At this critical juncture when our anthropocentric relationship to nature foreshadows imminent planetary destruction, Michael Bonnett’s eloquently written and exhaustively researched book is required reading. The philosophical and ecological issues addressed are global in scope, and Bonnett’s analysis will appeal to international scholars and students. Incorporating ecological philosophy and environmental ethics, Bonnett ambitiously pushes the boundaries of eco-phenomenology in unique ways and offers a tightly argued eco-philosophy that is grand in scope and holistic, presenting solutions for transcending the anthropocentric grip of scientism attuning our current relationship with the natural world. The inclusion of thoughtful vignettes, providing content for phenomenological description and analysis, puts the reader in touch with imaginative and transformative experiences of nature. The book confronts a multiplicity of issues, including: (1) Nature as a "self-rising," intrinsically normative phenomenon, (2) Human self-hood grounded in an attuned relationship to the natural world, and (3) "Ecologizing education," which is the re-envisioning of standardized education based on a renewed relationship with nature."

Dr. James M. Magrini, author of Ethical Responses to Nature's Call (Routledge), College of Dupage