Retrieving Nature

Reviews / Votes

"This elegantly written and powerfully documented work by one of Britain's most original philosophers of education is perhaps the first book-length philosophical enquiry into environmental education. But it is much more than that for, as the author points out, 'a right relationship with nature lies at the heart of environment education' - a relationship that poses challenges to our very conceptions of nature, rationality, value and human being. These are challenges to which Michael Bonnett rises in an intriguing and compelling book that will engage the attention of environmentalists, metaphysicians and moral philosophers as much as that of teachers and educational theorists."
David E. Cooper, University of Durham



"It is all too common these days to answer worries about environmental problems with the refrain that any solutions must involve "education". But rarely have we seen any sustained reflection on the promotion of environmental responsibility from the professional fields that have devoted themselves to the serious consideration of educational theory or philosophy. Michael Bonnet's elegantly written and well informed book steps into this breach and offers sound answers, and perhaps more importantly, asks the difficult questions that we must address to make any headway on this important issue. For too long philosophers of education and environmental ethicists have pursued their work independently of one another. Bonnett's contribution will help us to overcome this divide and hopefully make good on the claim that education not only can, but must be part of our search for environmental sustainability."
Andrew Light, New York University