This book is a compilation of short essays focussed around the subject of our moral responsibility to protect the earth. It aims to educate the reader on the ‘ethical values, moral guidance and principled reasons’ as to why we should care for the environment.
The essays are drawn from a diverse selection of authors, including scientists, religious leaders, environmentalists, political leaders, writers, businesspeople and activists. Some of the more well-known authors include Barack Obama, The Dalai Lama, E. O. Wilson and Bill McKibben. The book is divided into sections, each containing a group of essays which offer similar arguments in response to the following question:
Do we have a moral obligation to take action to protect the future of a planet in peril?
As you’d guess, the answer to this question is a resounding ‘Yes’. The reasons presented include:
- Yes: our own survival and self-interest.
- Yes: out of an obligation to future generations.
- Yes: as we have a duty to protect the earth itself.
Some essays resonated with me, some did not. As I read through, I noticed certain themes and ideas recur throughout the book. Notably, many essays were critical of the anthropocentric mindset that tends to dominate our thinking (viewing humanity as separate from the natural world, rather than part of an interconnected whole), and critical of consumer culture and our current notion of what ‘progress’ means (in which happiness is supposedly attained through the acquisition of more material stuff). My favourite essay, ‘A Copernican Revolution in Ethics’ by Kate Rawles, addresses these themes in a particularly lucid manner.
Another notable recurrence was Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic, which is frequently referenced, as his thoughts on conservation were profoundly influential on environmental ethics and the environmental movement as it exists today. To learn more, see my review of Leopold’s environmental classic, A Sand County Almanac.
With 87 essays, this is a lengthy book. But because each essay is only a few pages long, it is easy to chip away at the book by picking it up and reading an essay or two when you have a little time to spare. Though you are unlikely to like or agree with every essay, reading this book will help you to solidify your own understanding of the ethical reasons for environmental protection, and may in turn help you to argue for why humanity has a moral obligation to care for the earth.
For further information or to purchase this book, click here > Moral Ground
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