Naturalizing Continental philosophy: breaking ground in environmental thinking

Excerpt

As the field of environmental and ecological philosophy continues to gain general and periodically even enthusiastic acceptance in the broader discipline of philosophy, it should come as no surprise that the voice of Continental philosophy is becoming increasingly heard. Among the more recent contributions in the literature is Bruce Foltz and Robert Frodeman’s anthology Rethinking Nature: Essays in Environmental Philosophy, which gathers together creative and critical work done in the past decade by a number of the most influential and well-known voices in Continental philosophy. The 20 essays contained in the volume, not to mention the nicely composed and helpful editors’ Introduction, draw on both historical and contemporary philosophical sources, while simultaneously advancing environmental thinking through an engagement with a range of concrete scenarios and issues. Nearly all the essays are drawn from papers that were initially presented at the first annual meetings of the International Association for Environmental Philosophy (IAEP), of which Foltz and Frodeman were founding members. This collection is, however, more than just a compilation of conference proceedings. Not only does it have the merit of having been previously refereed by IAEP, but all of the essays have consequently been revised and expanded, benefiting from both rigorous post-presentation discussion and excellent editing, with the final result being an engaging, provocative, and genuinely unique contribution to environmental thinking. Continental philosophy suffers (justifiably at times) from the perception that its discourse is often closed to those outside its parameters, which makes Rethinking Nature all the more exceptional, as nearly all the essays are accessible to a generally informed readership without losing the rigor of serious and sustained philosophical reflection. …