Abstract
As much as the differences between perspectives can divide environmental philosophers across the globe, they can also be a source of fruitful exchange; the different approaches can learn from each other and challenge each other’s blind spots. On the one hand, the New World idea of a pristine wilderness devoid of human effects has been deflated when it became apparent that many wilderness areas had been profoundly affected by humans before European conquest and settlement. On the other hand, it is clear by now that preserving the typical Old World cultural-historic landscapes is becoming more and more expensive and difficult. This introduction first sketches the main difference between Old World and New World approaches, and show that both approaches struggle with similar problems. Next, it indicates how New Worlders and Old Worlders respond to these problems. And finally, it gives a brief outline of this volume.
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Notes
- 1.
Quote from interview in Leaf Litter Newsletter, 2011, Vol. IX, Edition 4. http://www.biohabitats.com/newsletters/novel-ecosystems-2/
- 2.
Currently, scientists are trying to bring back extinct animals with the help of synthetic biology. For instance, leading synthetic biologist George Church is working, in partnership with ‘Revive and Restore’, on a ‘de-extinction’ project of the Long Now Foundation, to bring back to life the iconic extinct passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). (http://rare.longnow.org/projects.html)
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Drenthen, M., Keulartz, J. (2014). Introduction. In: Drenthen, M., Keulartz, J. (eds) Old World and New World Perspectives in Environmental Philosophy. The International Library of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Ethics, vol 21. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07683-6_1
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