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Ecocide
How
‘Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll’
in ancient Athens entered
Christianity.
How Plato’s mental bias wrecks
our ecology and our mental health.
In this remarkable and well researched book, Dr John Wilson, a down-to-earth psychiatrist, breaks new ground. He shows how classical Greek civilization, still the foundation of Western culture, splits our minds from our bodies. Splitting us also from physical health, from mental health, and from our natural environment. In this sixth ‘Mass Extinction Event’, Plato’s legacy is now becoming fatal.
‘Sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll’
in ancient Athens entered
Christianity.
How Plato’s mental bias wrecks
our ecology and our mental health.
In this remarkable and well researched book, Dr John Wilson, a down-to-earth psychiatrist, breaks new ground. He shows how classical Greek civilization, still the foundation of Western culture, splits our minds from our bodies. Splitting us also from physical health, from mental health, and from our natural environment. In this sixth ‘Mass Extinction Event’, Plato’s legacy is now becoming fatal.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 22, 2026
Ecocide by John Wilson is a fascinating and thought-provoking book that explores the connections between ancient Greek philosophy, Christianity, human psychology, and our relationship with the natural environment. The author presents an intriguing argument about how the separation of mind and body has influenced Western culture and may contribute to modern ecological and mental health challenges.
What makes this book particularly interesting is its willingness to question long established ideas and encourage readers to reconsider the beliefs that shape our lives. Wilson combines his background in psychiatry with historical and philosophical perspectives to offer a different way of understanding the challenges facing humanity today.
This is a book for readers who enjoy philosophy, psychology, history, and environmental issues. Its central message encourages deeper reflection on how our cultural traditions influence both our personal well being and the world around us.
What makes this book particularly interesting is its willingness to question long established ideas and encourage readers to reconsider the beliefs that shape our lives. Wilson combines his background in psychiatry with historical and philosophical perspectives to offer a different way of understanding the challenges facing humanity today.
This is a book for readers who enjoy philosophy, psychology, history, and environmental issues. Its central message encourages deeper reflection on how our cultural traditions influence both our personal well being and the world around us.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide by John Wilson is an ambitious and challenging exploration of how ideas inherited from ancient Greek philosophy may still influence the way Western society thinks about the mind, body, mental health, and the natural world.
What I found especially interesting is Wilson’s attempt to connect Plato’s philosophical legacy with issues that feel very current, particularly our relationship with nature and the ecological crisis. Rather than treating environmental destruction as purely a political or economic problem, the book asks whether some of its roots lie much deeper, in the way we have learned to separate the human mind from the body and humanity from the physical world around us.
As a psychiatrist, Wilson also brings mental and physical health into the discussion, which gives the book an unusual perspective. Some of the arguments are provocative and may leave readers questioning or disagreeing with the author, but that is also part of what makes the book engaging.
What I found especially interesting is Wilson’s attempt to connect Plato’s philosophical legacy with issues that feel very current, particularly our relationship with nature and the ecological crisis. Rather than treating environmental destruction as purely a political or economic problem, the book asks whether some of its roots lie much deeper, in the way we have learned to separate the human mind from the body and humanity from the physical world around us.
As a psychiatrist, Wilson also brings mental and physical health into the discussion, which gives the book an unusual perspective. Some of the arguments are provocative and may leave readers questioning or disagreeing with the author, but that is also part of what makes the book engaging.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide by John Wilson surprised me because it approaches the environmental crisis from a completely different direction. Instead of focusing only on climate, politics, or economics, Wilson looks at the ideas that have shaped how we see ourselves and our relationship with nature.
I found his discussion of Plato and the separation between mind and body especially interesting. Connecting ancient philosophy with modern mental health and ecological problems is a bold argument, and it made me consider how ideas from thousands of years ago can continue to influence society today.
There is a lot to absorb, and I found myself stopping at certain points just to think about what I had read. I may not agree with every argument, but I appreciate books that challenge my assumptions rather than simply confirm them.
I found his discussion of Plato and the separation between mind and body especially interesting. Connecting ancient philosophy with modern mental health and ecological problems is a bold argument, and it made me consider how ideas from thousands of years ago can continue to influence society today.
There is a lot to absorb, and I found myself stopping at certain points just to think about what I had read. I may not agree with every argument, but I appreciate books that challenge my assumptions rather than simply confirm them.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide is not the kind of book you simply read and forget. John Wilson takes a fascinating approach to the environmental and mental health challenges we face today by looking far back into the foundations of Western thought.
I was particularly interested in the connection Wilson draws between Plato’s philosophy, the separation of mind and body, and the way modern society has become disconnected from nature. It’s an unusual argument, and whether you agree with every conclusion or not, the book gives you plenty to think about.
I also appreciated that Wilson approaches these questions from his experience as a psychiatrist. The combination of philosophy, psychology, history, and ecology makes Ecocide stand apart from more conventional books about environmental problems.
I was particularly interested in the connection Wilson draws between Plato’s philosophy, the separation of mind and body, and the way modern society has become disconnected from nature. It’s an unusual argument, and whether you agree with every conclusion or not, the book gives you plenty to think about.
I also appreciated that Wilson approaches these questions from his experience as a psychiatrist. The combination of philosophy, psychology, history, and ecology makes Ecocide stand apart from more conventional books about environmental problems.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide by John Wilson really made me think about the connection between our beliefs, our mental health, and the way we treat the natural world.
What stood out to me most was Wilson’s argument that ideas going all the way back to Plato still influence how Western society separates the mind from the body and humans from nature. I had never really considered environmental problems from that perspective before, and it gave me a different way of looking at issues we often discuss only in scientific or political terms.
This isn’t a light read, and some of the arguments may challenge what you already believe. But that was part of its appeal for me. I enjoy books that make me stop, question things, and look at familiar problems from another angle.
What stood out to me most was Wilson’s argument that ideas going all the way back to Plato still influence how Western society separates the mind from the body and humans from nature. I had never really considered environmental problems from that perspective before, and it gave me a different way of looking at issues we often discuss only in scientific or political terms.
This isn’t a light read, and some of the arguments may challenge what you already believe. But that was part of its appeal for me. I enjoy books that make me stop, question things, and look at familiar problems from another angle.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide by John Wilson is an ambitious and thought-provoking book that connects ancient Greek philosophy, Christianity, psychology, human health, and the environmental crisis in a way that is both unusual and challenging.
What stood out to me most was the book’s central argument about the separation of mind and body and how ideas inherited from classical Greek thought may have influenced the way Western civilization relates to health and the natural world. Wilson takes a complex subject and encourages the reader to look beyond conventional explanations for the ecological problems we face today.
What stood out to me most was the book’s central argument about the separation of mind and body and how ideas inherited from classical Greek thought may have influenced the way Western civilization relates to health and the natural world. Wilson takes a complex subject and encourages the reader to look beyond conventional explanations for the ecological problems we face today.
October 22, 2026
Ecocide offers a different way of thinking about the environmental crisis facing the modern world. Rather than focusing only on the immediate causes of ecological destruction, John Wilson goes much further back and examines the philosophical and cultural ideas that have shaped Western civilization.
The discussion of Plato and the division between mind and body was particularly interesting. Wilson suggests that these old ways of thinking have consequences that reach into modern mental health, physical health, and our relationship with nature.
The discussion of Plato and the division between mind and body was particularly interesting. Wilson suggests that these old ways of thinking have consequences that reach into modern mental health, physical health, and our relationship with nature.
October 22, 2026
I found Ecocide to be a fascinating and surprisingly challenging read. The book takes a subject that we usually think about in terms of pollution and environmental destruction and looks at it from a much deeper cultural and philosophical perspective.
John Wilson explores the influence of ancient Greek thinking, particularly Plato, and how the separation of mind and body may have affected Western attitudes toward health, nature, and human existence. The connections between these subjects are what kept me interested throughout the book.
John Wilson explores the influence of ancient Greek thinking, particularly Plato, and how the separation of mind and body may have affected Western attitudes toward health, nature, and human existence. The connections between these subjects are what kept me interested throughout the book.
October 22, 2026
The book is ambitious and asks some uncomfortable questions. Can the ideas inherited from previous civilizations contribute to the way we treat ourselves and our environment today? And if so, what does that mean for the future?
I appreciated the book for encouraging this kind of deeper examination. It is an intriguing combination of environmental thought, philosophy, psychology, and cultural history, and it will likely stay with readers who enjoy books that challenge established perspectives.
I appreciated the book for encouraging this kind of deeper examination. It is an intriguing combination of environmental thought, philosophy, psychology, and cultural history, and it will likely stay with readers who enjoy books that challenge established perspectives.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews