The Rights of Nature: A History of Environmental Ethics

by Roderick Nash

Charting the history of contemporary philosophical and religious beliefs regarding nature, Roderick Nash focuses primarily on changing attitudes toward nature in the United States.  His work is the first comprehensive history of the concept that nature has rights and that American liberalism has, in effect, been extended to the nonhuman world.

“A splendid book.  Roderick Nash has written another classic.  This exploration of a new dimension in environmental ethics is both illuminating and overdue.”—Stewart Udall
    
“His account makes history ‘come alive.’”— Sierra

“So smoothly written that one almost does not notice the breadth of scholarship that went into this original and important work of environmental history.”—Philip Shabecoff, New York Times Book Review

“Clarifying and challenging, this is an essential text for deep ecologists and ecophilosophers.”—Stephanie Mills, Utne Reader

Genres: Environment, History, Nature, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Ecology

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Frazier Nash, Roderick
Nash, Roderic Frazier
Nash, Roderick F.
Nash, Roderick Frazier

Roderick Frazier Nash is a professor emeritus of history and environmental studies at the University of California Santa Barbara. He was the first person to descend the Tuolumne River (using a raft) [from: en.wikipedia.org]

Reviews

[Nick Mather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nash's book is essential reading for environmental ethics. His main argument is that environmental ethics is an extension of classical liberalism and that extending rights to animals and ecosystems is a natural step in the progression of rights, just like awarding rights to women and slaves was an expansion of the moral circle. Nash's writing is lucid and his discussion is placed, rightly I think, in an American context. This is an excellent companion to his "Wilderness and the American Mind" and should be required reading for anyone who thinks that environmentalism is a fringe movement. He clearly shows that care for the environment is a fundamental feature in American history and that despite current inaction towards environmental problems, historically the United States has led the world in the advancement of an environmental ethic.

[Sarah Clement · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I think every one who studies the environment should read. It is not just a treatise for the rights of nature, as more recent books on the topic are. Mainly, this is a book about the intellectual history and the intellectual future of the environmental movement. Nash does an excellent job of synthesising this history into an engaging narrative. This is a book that clearly explains the case for an extension of ethics to nature, and tracks it as part of the gradual extension of rights over the centuries. You may not agree with or be entirely comfortable with Nash's argument, but no matter your perspective, this is a book that will make you think. What surprised me most was what a resource the book is; it's definitely one of those books that will become a go-to reference for me in terms of environmental philosophy and environmental philosophy.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent encompassing of western environmental though across the centuries. I enjoyed the layout and structure of the chapters, how Nash takes you through Religion, Philosophy, and Activism. This was my first real “philosophy” book, or text that addresses morals and ethics, so it was a really cool read because it made me consider my own ethics and how the extend to the world around me.

He briefly mentions Eastern schools of thought but brushes over them very quickly. Not to sound too Gen Z, but this is a very Western (and male) centric historical analysis. It would have been really interesting to examine how Native American schools of thought may have influenced our current American environmental ethics and how Eastern thought compares to Western or even how it influenced American ethics with large influxes of Eastern immigrants in the West and across the country. It’s also interesting how Americans are described to have made the ‘obvious’ jump to animals and beyond after affording slaves rights. Does that not imply Americans still viewed slaves on the level of animals? Or that they pulled slaves up to their own level, so it was now animals’ turn? Either way, it deserved a bit more discussion and probably sensitivity, but this was written in 1989 so it could be interesting to read a more modern (2020s) take on this.

Rachel Carson is given her flowers, but is not afforded the same in depth reviews as Bookchin, Salt, and other writers. Specifically a part that bothered me is a sentence that describes Carson’s Silent Spring as “stealing the thunder” of Bookchin— even though SS was published in 1983, and Bookchin didn’t publish until 1984 (which he states). Perhaps I am getting too defensive of Rachel Carson, but I struggle to understand how thunder can be stolen if she was first by a whole year. Silent Spring is also more public based, and Bookchin’s work is a bit more morals/ethics based, discussing Kant and Marx (which Nash explains). So can they be compared enough for SS to steal the thunder? Sorry to ramble but that really bothered me, perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but that was my reaction.

It’s possible he focused on these authors because they tended to discuss philosophical ideas more (I haven’t read their works yet), but there was a distinct lack of female contributions highlighted.

[Joel Hines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great overview of history of thinking on topic of environmental ethics, a little dry

[Belle Meade School]

179

[Eugene Miya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rod published this excellent book after I has a class with him.

He takes a multi-faceted view of rights, nature, and ethics. In particular the chapter on religion navigates difficult ground with unfriendly, hostile views of the natural world. I had this discussion with a colleague (Dave). But none of this should detract from reading the book.

Not quite as powerful as Rod's opus Wilderness and the American Mind. This is easily Rod's 2nd best book.

[Yana Manyukhina · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my review of the book please go to

http://ediblematters.wordpress.com/20...

http://ediblematters.wordpress.com/20...

[Janel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much.

[Kim Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life.

[Si Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definitive history on environmental ethics and its development. A classic study that fully deserves its status as a must read text on the subject.

[Ted O]

Great subject matter, poor delivery.