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The Nature of Nature

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Abstract

The common perception of nature is that it is an objectified thing “out there” somewhere. This mental view of nature arises from the standard subject–objective dichotomy that tends to define contemporary life. There are human beings, and then there are natural objects (wetlands) and phenomena (sunsets). And now there are human systems and natural systems. Much of the literature regards humans as standing apart from nature, while our interactions with nature tend to be harmful or exploitive. Environmentalism asks us to be kinder to this objectified other. We here challenge this narrative of apartness and suggest that humans are not subjects standing apart from an objectified nature. Humans are products of nature, and human life is sustained by nature. Humans are not external subjects of nature but are, rather, a mere variety of objects of nature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Natural Resources Institute Finland, Finland, Finland

    Juha Hiedanpää

  2. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Daniel W. Bromley

Authors
  1. Juha Hiedanpää
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  2. Daniel W. Bromley
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Hiedanpää, J., Bromley, D.W. (2016). The Nature of Nature. In: Environmental Heresies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-60083-7_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-60083-7_3

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-60082-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-60083-7

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