Gaia Connections: An Introduction to Ecology, Ecoethics, and Economics / Edition 2

by Alan S. Miller

Overview

Gaia Connections addresses several arenas of concern as humankind faces an escalating ecological and moral crisis in this new millennium.

Beginning with an overview of the history of philosophy and the importance of traditional thinking on modern-day ethical reflection, the book then looks at the development of theories of justice, the problems of equity in global human relations, the inability of existing economic systems to resolve our human and environmental dilemmas, the unnatural connections now obtaining between genuine human need and the technological drift of science, the new genetics and reproductive technologies, and the nature of modern war. The study concludes with some historical perspectives on American environmental history and the urgent need for change in our ecoethical, social, and value systems.

The principal focal areas of the original edition are continued: the actual state of the global environment today, the imperative for the development of sustainable economic and resource systems, the movement within much of science toward an almost universal biological determinism, and the need for a reaffirmation of an ethical value system which places the needs of people before the needs of property and profits.

The revised edition not only updates these data and the concerns of the original book but also visits a number of new issues: the movement for environmental justice, the connections between global poverty and the now almost universal allegiance to a new world market and free trade system, the progress and the dilemmas of molecular biology and genetic engineering, and the growing disarray within the global systems of political economy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742531437
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/14/2003
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	5.84(w) x 8.92(h) x 0.69(d)
Lexile:	1490L (what's this?)

About the Author

Alan S. Miller is senior lecturer emeritus with the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 List of Tables and Figures Chapter 2 Preface to the Second Edition Chapter 3 Acknowledgments Chapter 4 Introduction Part 5 I Environmental Ethics Chapter 6 A Context for Study and Action Chapter 7 The Global Background Chapter 8 International Efforts to Heal the Planet Chapter 9 Ecoethics Chapter 10 Case Studies in Ecoethics Part 11 II Ecophilosophy Chapter 12 Shallow, Deep, and Deepest Ecology Chapter 13 Ecofeminism Chapter 14 Women, Men, and Nature Chapter 15 Alternative Approaches to Environmental Ethics Part 16 III Theories of Justice Chapter 17 General Principles in Ethics Chapter 18 Theories of Justice in the Past Chapter 19 Modern Theories of Justice Chapter 20 Actors in the Modern Ethical Debate Part 21 IV World Order Imperatives Chapter 22 Global Poverty and Structural Adjustment Chapter 23 International Debt and Underdevelopment Chapter 24 The Poverty-Ecology Connection Chapter 25 Rights and Just Expectations Chapter 26 The Nature of Security in the Modern World Chapter 27 The Peace Equation Chapter 28 Economic Conversion Equals Job Insurance Chapter 29 New Politics and Paradigms for the Solar Age Part 30 V The Moral Demand for the Biological Steady State Chapter 31 The Pros and Cons of the Sustainability Debate Chapter 32 The Two Faces of Scarcity Chapter 33 Biological Ethics and Thermodynamics Part 34 VI Economics As If Nature Mattered Chapter 35 Overlapping Environmental Disruptions Chapter 36 Contending Economic Approaches Chapter 37 Dilemmas of Political Economy Chapter 38 New Economic Orders Part 39 VII Bioethical Limits to Scientific Inquiry Chapter 40 The Militarization of Science Chapter 41 The Limits of Science Chapter 42 Science, Systems, and Nature Part 43 VIII Genetic Engineering Chapter 44 The History and the Science of Recombinant DNA Chapter 45 Controlling Recombinant Research in the Laboratory Chapter 46 From the Laboratory to the Fields Chapter 47 Molecules and the Military Chapter 48 Patents Pending Chapter 49 Science for People or Science for Profit Part 50 IX Unnatural Connections: Dilemmas of Biotechnology Chapter 51 The Human Genome Project Chapter 52 Down on the Farm with the Genetic Engineers Chapter 53 The Confusion over Corn Chapter 54 Policy and Regulation Chapter 55 Two Centuries in Reproductive System Research Part 56 X Genetic Counseling Chapter 57 Genetic Screening: The Identification of Genetic Disease Chapter 58 Molecular Genetics and Medicine Chapter 59 The Gene Hunt Chapter 60 Prenatal Screening Programs Chapter 61 Abortion Dilemmas in Genetic Diagnosis Chapter 62 Fertilization in Vitro Chapter 63 The Nature of Abnormality Part 64 XI Bioethics I: The Rights of People Chapter 65 Health Care and Medical Allocations Chapter 66 The U.S. Health Care System Chapter 67 Distributive Justice Chapter 68 Who Gets What? Part 69 XII Bioethics II: Staying in Control Chapter 70 Informed Consent throughout History Chapter 71 The Rights of Patients Chapter 72 The Right to Live or Die Part 73 XIII The Selfish Gene Reconsidered Chapter 74 Sociobiology Chapter 75 Alternative Evolutionary Theories Chapter 76 Evolution and Ethics Chapter 77 Toward an Evolutionary Ethic Part 78 XIV The Social Sources of Environmental Values Chapter 79 Person/Society Influences Chapter 80 Student Reflection on Values Part 81 XV Ecoethics and Modern War Chapter 82 Just War Theory Revisited Chapter 83 Selective Opposition to War Chapter 84 The Dilemma of Nuclear War Chapter 85 Just War Options Today Part 86 XVI All God's Creatures Chapter 87 Moral Rights for Animals?: Animal Experimentation Chapter 88 Animals for Food Chapter 89 All Flesh Is Grass Part 90 XVII Perspectives on Environmental Change Chapter 91 The Environmental Movement Chapter 92 Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush-Era Environmentalism Chapter 93 The Ideological Rifts Chapter 94 The Global Movement of the Greens Chapter 95 The Labor-Health-Environmental Connection Chapter 96 A Concluding Unscientific Postscript Chapter 97 "The Influence Coming into Play: The Seven of Pentacles" Chapter 98 Supplementary Reading List Chapter 99 Index Chapter 100 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Excellent tour de force of the ecoethics field.

National Catholic Reporter

Gaia Connections is a substantial contribution to the articulation of Green analysis. Alan Miller combines far-reaching concern with ecological wisdom as a touchstone for systemic change.

Charlene Spretnak

Miller's writing style makes the book easy to pick up and difficult to put down. Written at a level appropriate for advanced undergraduates, it is an important and valuable acquisition for academic libraries.

Choice Reviews

One of the most stimulating new books to appear in the emerging field of bio and environmental ethicsssss

Carolyn Merchant

Miller's writing style makes the book easy to pick up and difficult to put down. Written at a level appropriate for advanced undergraduates, it is an important and valuable acquisition for academic libraries.

CHOICE

Gaia Connections is a vivid portrayal of ecological truths and the crumbling international economic order that denudes the planet. More importantly, the book imparts an understanding of the 'connections' necessary to save the planet.

Randall Hayes

In this very thorough and yet eminently readable book, Alan Miller gives a comprehensive account of the basic principles of ecoethics and the vast network of its scientific and social implications. A magnificent contribution to meet a vital challenge of our time.

Fritjof Capra

This is a critical book which all those interested in the future of our planet should read.

The Ecologist

...an excellent sourcebook for those who want to delve further...

Ecology Center Newsletter

A landmark book about the future of the planet.

George Porter

Miller's writing style makes the book easy to pick up and difficult to put down. Written at a level appropriate for advanced undergraduates, it is an important and valuable acquisition for academic libraries.

Choice