Skip to main content

Environmental and Ecological Thought

  • Chapter
  • 92 Accesses

Part of the book series: The Plenum Social Ecology Series ((PSES))

Abstract

Conventional wisdom increasingly describes modern man as disoriented and disturbed by the unfolding of his own future. Indeed, there is a sense in which the concept of the future has become reified; it is seen as something to be awaited fearfully by a helpless humanity. The inhabitants of industrial societies foresee their destiny as a great beast threatening to restructure the earth in some horrendous fashion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References and Notes

  1. Marx, K., and Engels, F. Selected works. New York: International Publishers, 1968, p. 97.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Polak, F. The image of the future. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1973, p. 195.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Landsberg, H., Fischman, L., and Fisher, J. Resources in America’s future: Patterns of requirements and availabilities, 1960—2000. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Study of critical environmental problems (SCEP). Man’s impact on the global environment. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cloud, P. Mineral resources in fact and fancy; and Hubbert, M. Energy resources. In W. Murdoch (Ed.), Environment: Resources, pollution and society. Stamford, Conn.: Sinauer Associates, Inc., 1971, pp. 71–116.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Goldsmith, E., Allen, R., Allaby, M., Davoll, J., and Lawrence, S. Blueprint for survival. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., and Behrens, W., III. The limits to growth. New York: New American Library, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Disch, R. (Ed.). The ecological conscience. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Proshansky, H. The environmental crisis in human dignity. Journal of Social Issues, 29: 1–20, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Thomas, F. The environmental basis of society. New York: The Century Company, 1925. Kristof, L. K. D., The origins and evolution of geopolitics. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 4: 15–51, I960.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tatham, G. Geography in the 19th century. In G. Taylor (Ed.), Geography in the 20th century. New York: Philosophical Library, 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sorokin, P. A. Contemporary sociological theories. New York: Harper & Bros., 1928, pp. 83–86.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Tatham, G. Environmentalism and possibilism. In G. Taylor (Ed.), Geography in the 20th century. New York: Philosophical Library, 1957 (quote on p. 86).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sorokin, op. cit., pp. 73–79.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Thomas, op. cit., pp. 78–79.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Semple, E. Influences of the geographic environment. New York: Henry Holt, 1911. Huntington, E., Mainstreams of civilization. New York: Wiley, 1945.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Clarkson, J. Ecology and spatial analysis. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 60: 700–716, 1970 (quote from pp. 703–704).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sorokin, op. cit., pp. 163–164.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Febvre, L. A geographical introduction to history. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1925 (quote from p. 236).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Brunhes, J. Human geography. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1920 (quote from p. 227).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Bowman, I. The pioneer fringe. Worcester, Mass.: The American Geographical Society, 1931 (quote from p. 42).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ibid., pp. 42–44.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Wallis, W. Geographical environment and culture. Social Forces, 4: 702–708, 1926 (quote from pp. 707–708).

    Google Scholar 

  24. For discussions of possibilism, determinism, and free will see: Febvre, op. cit., 181–182, 238–240; Brunhes, op. cit., pp. 225–226; Sprout, H., and Sprout, M., The ecological perspective on human affairs. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1965, pp. 94–97.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Spate, O. H. K. Toynbee and Huntington: A study in determinism. Geographical Journal, 118: 406–428, 1952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Gould, P. R. Man against his environment: A game theoretic framework. In T. W. English and R. Mayfield (Eds.), Man, space and environment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1972, pp. 147–151.

    Google Scholar 

  27. See the distinction between tactical determinism and strategic determinism in: Lewthwaite, G. Environmentalism and determinism: A search for clarification. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 56:1–23, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Meggers, B. Environmental limitations on the development of culture. Anthropologist, 56: 801–824, 1954 (quote from p. 815).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Hawley, A. H. Human ecology. New York: Ronald Press, 1950, pp. 3–10.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Stoddard, D. R. Darwin’s impact on geography. In W. Davies (Ed.), The conceptual revolution in geography. London: University of London Press, 1970, pp. 57–61.

    Google Scholar 

  31. For basic texts on modern ecology see: Odum, E. Fundamentals of ecology. Philadelphia: W. Saunders Co., 1971. Boughey, A. S. Fundamental ecology. Scranton, Pa.: Intext Educational Publishers, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Hawley, op. cit., p. 3.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Hawley, op. cit., p. 52.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Stoddard, D. R. Geography and the ecological approach. In English and Mayfield, op. cit., p. 157.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Ibid., pp. 157–161 (quote from p. 161).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Keyfitz, N. The numbers and distribution of mankind. In W. Murdoch, op. cit., pp. 31–52. See also: Davis, K. Population policy: Will current programs succeed? (p. 105); Hardin, G. Tragedy of the Commons (pp. 107–121). Both in C. Johnson (Ed.), Eco crisis. New York: Wiley, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Daly, H. Toward a stationary state economy. In J. Harte and R. Socolow (Eds.), Patient earth. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971, pp. 226–244.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Salk, R. Adapting world order to the global ecosystem. In Harte and Socolow, op. cit., pp. 245–257.

    Google Scholar 

  39. See: Caldwell, L. Environment: A challenge for modern society. Garden City, N.Y.: Natural History Press, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Toynbee, A. The study of history, Vols. 1 and 2, The genesis of civilization. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1977 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Moos, R., Brownstein, R. (1977). Environmental and Ecological Thought. In: Environment and Utopia. The Plenum Social Ecology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8597-8_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8597-8_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-8599-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8597-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics