The paradox of environmental ethics: Nietzsche's view of nature and the wild

被引:14
作者
Drenthen, M [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Nijmegen, Ctr Ethics, CEKUN, NL-6500 HD Nijmegen, Netherlands
关键词
D O I
10.5840/enviroethics199921229
中图分类号
B82 [伦理学(道德学)];
学科分类号
摘要
In this paper, I offer a systematic inquiry into the significance of Nietzsche's philosophy to environmental ethics. Nietzsche's philosophy of nature is, I believe, relevant today because it makes explicit a fundamental ambiguity that is also characteristic of our current understanding of nature. I show how the current debate between traditional environmental ethics and postmodern environmental philosophy can be interpreted as a symptom of this ambiguity. I argue that, in light of Nietzsche's critique of morality, environmental ethics is a highly paradoxical project. According to Nietzsche, each moral interpretation of nature implies a conceptual seizure of power over nature. On the other hand, Nietzsche argues, the concept of nature is indispensable in ethics because we have to interpret nature in order to have a meaningful relation with reality. I show that awareness of this paradox opens a way for a form of respect for nature as radical otherness.
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收藏
页码:163 / 175
页数:13
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