Hello fellow list members:
Below is a recent posting to the left bio discussion group which concerns
an important new book in deep ecology, which I first obtained in late
August.  I think this book will be of interest to those who take deep
ecology seriously. My posting gives some information about this book,
although it is not a review. The author Fred Bender, who is currently
spending some time in Nova Scotia, contacted me out-of-the-blue in mid
September and came for discussions plus an overnight visit. Bender then
accompanied several left bios to a Field Day of the "low impact" provincial
Woodlot Owners' Association, who happened to be meeting in our immediate
area. I have slightly edited the posting originally made to the left bio
discussion group, so that I can post it to this list.
David
*****


The 2003 book by Frederick Bender, _The Culture Of Extinction: Toward A
Philosophy Of Deep Ecology_, Humanity Books, 488 pages, hardcover, ISBN
1-59102-055-7, is, I believe very important for left bios and the philosophy
of deep ecology, although left biocentrism is not mentioned in this book.

Yet this is a left bio book:

"I am optimistic that deep ecology, with a strong social-political
dimension, can motivate new generations to save the Earth." (p. 363)

"Progressive political change, Earth-oriented spirituality, and an
ecological worldview can and must reinforce each other, since they are
equally vital to radical ecology's future impact." (p. 355)

I would say that anyone who has a serious theoretical interest in deep
ecology should have a copy of this expensive book. Bender wants to help
"draw millions to deep ecology." (p. 446) Personally, this book has forced
me to look at the evolution of deep ecology, as reflected in the writings
of Naess, in a new, supportive yet more critical manner. For Fred Bender,
the distinguishing characteristic of deep ecology is "nondualism" (what we
would perhaps call ecocentricism). He argues that Naess has moved away from
this nondualist position as reflected in the original 1972 statement and
also become more apolitical. Speaking of the Platform, Bender says:

"Its language, in contrast to the speech (1972 initial formulation of deep
ecology), decouples deep ecology from nondualism, obscuring many senses of
deep ecology's depth. For example, points 1 and 2 use the language of
values: 'values in themselves,' 'intrinsic value,' 'inherent worth,'
'...realization of these values and are values in themselves,' though value
terms presuppose substance/property ontology - that is, certain substances
allegedly have, while others lack, the property of 'value in themselves.'
This is very far from point one of Naess's 1972 speech, which called for
jettisoning the dualistic, 'man in the environment' standpoint, in favor of
a relational and 'total-field' model. Language, especially the language of
value, is never ontologically neutral. 'Language is the house of being,' as
Heidegger said. Value-language contravenes the nondualist 'relational and
total-field' ontology that  makes deep ecology DEEP." (p. 408)

"Today, people see that deep ecology can help them see things as BOTH one
and related, dissolving the conventional split between humans and nature,
and reawakening depth in many ways." (p. 446 )

Nondualistic statements in popular parlance would be "all things are
connected" and "the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth."

On the turn away from radical politics in the 1972 document, Bender says
that Naess:

"Called for an anticlass posture in intrahuman affairs, both because class
domination robs exploiter and exploited alike of their potentialities for
Self-realization, and because long-term success in preventing overshoot
requires genuinely democratic ways of life. 'Anticlass posture' affiliates
deep ecology with Green Marxism, social ecology, and ecofeminism.
Unfortunately, the anticlass stance soon fell off deep ecology's platform."
(p. 401)

This book has a thoughtful and very interesting discussion of Bender's own
"ecosophy" , named after the place where he wrote much of his book. His
book concludes with a ten-point "Proposed New Deep-Ecology Platform" which
incorporates the critique he is raising. The book has glowing book cover
endorsements by George Sessions and Alan Drengson, and a tribute from Arne
Naess himself.

It seems that Fred 'discovered' left biocentrism after his book had come
out. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado and was,
according to book cover information, the editor of _The Communist
Manifesto: A Norton Critical Review_; _The Betrayal of Marx_; and _Karl
Marx: The Essential Writings_.  None of these books I have previously seen,
so I am not familiar with the overall ideological tone. But what is mainly
interesting for me is that such a substantive book on deep ecology has been
written by someone who very definitely considers himself part of the Left.
So Fred Bender now takes his place alongside other Left deep ecologists
who have books out, like Richard Sylvan, Andrew McLaughlin and Andrew Dobson.

This is not a review but some notes and quotations taken from the 17 pages
of my own notes that I made from the sections of this book that I have now
read and which I thought other left bios might appreciate. The book is
divided into three parts: The Culture Of Extinction; The Lies Of Millennia;
and Faithful To the Earth, and there are 17 chapters. I have read the first
and last sections of this book which are the ones of most interest to me
and perhaps to those left bios who are not professional philosophers. I
hope that Fred Bender himself, who will receive a copy of my comments, or
A., who first brought this book to our attention on left bio, will
"straighten me out" if what I say seems misinformed in any way. I would
also like to emphasize that what I am presenting here is some of what I
found of interest to me personally. I will leave it to others, who have
read ALL of this book, to present an overall summary of what the book sets
out to do and whether or not it is successful, from the perspective of the
reviewer.


INTERESTING QUOTATIONS:

"Species are neither higher nor lower than, nor superior or inferior to,
one another. Each simply is what it is: a life form adapted to its
ecospheric niche and valuable to the extent it contributes to ecospheric
integrity." (p. 94)

"Amazingly, Darwin's greatest philosophical breakthrough, his reframing of
humans as thoroughly natural beings, has been all but lost on Western
philosophy." (p. 94)

"Only after separating ourselves from Earth, chiefly through agriculture
and anthropocentric religion, have we come to do violence against the Earth
systematically. This is why we are the culture of EXTINCTION." (p. 101)

"I do not think ecology sufficient to explain every aspect of human
culture... We must also discover how human culture evolved, how social,
political, and religious factors, etc., became predominant at various
times. Ecological models frame such factors' significance, but do not
replace them." (p. 102)

"Nondualism can help us toward a new civilization measured both by
ecological sustainability and satisfaction of basic human needs. If the
latter is neglected, few would give up the culture of extinction
voluntarily." (p. 105)

"Native peoples never treat animals or ecosystems as mere resources, but as
strands in Earth's complex web of life. In contrast, Western-trained
wildlife or forest managers frame wildlife and habitat as resources to
exploit for economic gain." (p. 106)

"Since accumulation of property leads inexorably to ecological
unsustainability, from the evolutionary perspective, capitalism is the
deviant economic system." (p. 111)

"In thoroughly bourgeois society, nothing is sacred or of intrinsic value.
If sufficient demand exists, then nothing is beyond price and everything is
offered for sale." (p. 269)

"Social ecology turns out to be just a convoluted form of human
chauvinism." (p. 341)

"Social ecology remains more a remnant of the Old Left than part of the
ecology movement." (p. 354)

"Radical ecofeminism's primary affiliation, like that of social ecology, is
with the Left, not with ecology. If so, then ecofeminism is much closer to
social ecology than to wilderness defense, bioregionalism, or deep
ecology."  (p. 364)

"I believe that radical ecofeminism is more feminist than ecological..."
(p. 367)

"The culture of extinction lures its subjects with its cornucopia of goods
and services, its facade of justice (liberal democracy), its promises of
individual salvation via conventional, dualist religion, and its
nihilistic, modernist worldview." (p. 375)

"Progressive forces must contest dimensions of culture the traditional Left
has always conceded, biology and religion prominent among them." (p. 375)

"Human survival requires some killing or exploitation of nonhuman organisms,
commensurate with genuine needs, like what was practiced among old-ways
peoples. Thus, we should do as little harm as possible, recognizing other
beings' right to live and flourish." (p. 400)


Minor disagreements:

- I do not agree with or understand the following statement, "For all
practical purposes, Earth First! no longer exists." (p. 363)

- I do not agree with calling the Platform "neo-Malthusian." (p. 412)

- Bender does not seem to see the "conserving" aspect of a potential
section of the conservatives, so for him, "Blue politics and significant
ecological improvements are incompatible... " (p. 413)

- The author seems to support "pollution vouchers" as a "secondary market"
and a "useful" idea from the Right. I disagree with this. (p. 414)


As I have said previously, this is a very important book for left bios and
I urge you all to obtain a copy. Fred Bender wants to reformulate deep
ecology and we all need to pay attention to what he is telling us. I did
find the book on the abstract side. This was shown, unnecessarily from my
perspective, in the discussion of the well known deep ecology Apron Diagram
and the ecosophy discussion in the last few pages of the book. Overall
however, this book is a wonderful achievement and will help us all move
forward on the deep ecology path.

Best, David

P. S. There seems to be a footnote numbering screw-up on pages 407-408.








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