The Ecological Life

Reviews / Votes

In The Ecological Life, Jeremy Bendik-Keymer combines an impassioned personal plea for global ecological responsibility with a thoughtful synthesis of the best traditions of environmental and humanist thinking. Conceived as a series of lectures to bright students at an unnamed liberal arts college in the United States, the argument is clear and compelling and accessible, and has the merit of bringing philosophical rigor to what sounds more like a very thoughtful individual working out what really matters now, than a jargon-filled contribution to questions of philosophical scholarship. -- Nathan Andersen, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Eckerd College A refreshing ontological exploration of what it means to be human in light of our current ecological plight. The Ecological Life, in a useful pedagogical style, attempts to integrate notions of citizenship, justice, humaneness, and ecological integrity, advancing a notion of human-nonhuman relationship that is both balanced and challenging. -- Stephen B. Scharper, Assistant Professor, Centre for Environment and Centre for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto author of Redeeming the Time: A Political Th Jeremy Bendik-Keymer has written a remarkable book of philosophical anthropology - marvelously readable, yet strikingly original and radical in its moral, political and philosophical perspective. It ranges broadly without sacrificing depth or rigor...Written as lectures to imaginary undergraduate students, it is also a seductive and penetrating contribution to the philosophy of education. -- Raimond Gaita, professor of moral philosophy, King's College London, University of London In this passionate work, Bendik-Keymer exhibits a consern and honesty in content and style that will engage readers. This work is a fine student introduction to ecological issues. Recommended. * Choice Reviews * By thinking through our connections to the earth, to our own history, and to our natural history, [Bendik-Keymer] does a service to those of us who have for decades pled for a more ecological imagination and have presented our pleas in verse, paintings, essays, songs, and prayers. . . . [He] offers us an alternative source of thinking. * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online * Written with verve and passion, The Ecological Life is a brilliant exploration of the humanistic foundations of ecological justice and global citizenship. Bendik-Keymer is a born teacher, and his enthusiasm is infectious. -- Gregory Bassham, Professor of Philosophy, King's College