Toward Unity among Environmentalists

This book presents an argument that the environmental movement is a coalition of many groups working toward common objectives without common values. Norton believes this lack of unity causes unnecessary and divisive controversy and debate within the environmentalist community which impedes the development of effective and timely environmental management policies. The various participants in environmental debates see events so differently, and describe them in such diverse vocabularies, that the environmental movement, unlike other social action movements, lacks common theoretical principles. Norton's goal is to create a common language for discussing environmental issues as a first step towards a unified theory of environmental management. This book will be of a value to general readers with an interest in environmental and ecological issues; environmental planners and policy makers; conservation biologists, wildlife biologists; and ecologists.

Table of Contents:
1: The Environmentalist's Dilemma 2: Moralists and Aggregators: The Case of Muir and Pinchot 3: Aldo Leopold and the Search for an Integrated Theory of Environmental Management 4: Conservationists and Preservationists Today 5: Worldviews: A Whirlwind Tour 6: The Pressures of Growth 7: Pollution Control 8: Biological Diversity 9: Land Use Policy 10: Diverging Worldviews; Converging Policies 11: Intertemporal Ethics 12: Interspecific Ethics Epilogue: Differing Sense of Place

Review :
"A good, clearly written. . .history of environmentalism." --Integrated Environmental Management "In building his argument, Norton takes an interesting trek through the ideas of environmental notables (Pinchot, Muir, Leopold, Carson, deep ecologists), illustrating his ideas with practical instances of forest, watershed, and park management." --Earth Ethics "This is a thoughtful and provocative book. I'd recommend this book for every teacher of environmental science or ecology. Students in advanced courses in ecology, environmental conservation, and environmental philosophy would also profit from the history of environmentalism and the vision of unification." --Ecology "The book will be of general interest for a wide variety of readers: professionals and general readers, those studying environmental policy, and those simply having a general interest in it. A well-written book by an authority in the field." --Choice "One of the few publications on the application of environmental ethics to policy and practice. No recent contribution by a philosopher is more directly related to land management professionals. Land management professionals should read this book because of its choice combination of themes: the 'environmentalists' dilemma,' land use policy examples, and environmental ethics worldviews." --Journal of the American Planning Association "Bryan Norton is uniquely at home both in philosophical ethics and in contemporary ecological and policy debates. Both practically and metaphysically [the book] is a major contribution. Norton's extended discussions, which are grounded in turn in rich citations both of the current policy literature and of Norton's own interviews with many of the principles. One could profitably read the book just for these details. His reversal of the usual relation between policy and principle remains extraordinarily important and provocative, and the optimism that this reversal makes possible is plausible and more than welcome." --Environmental Ethics "A valuable addition to the literature of environmental ethics." --Hastings Center Report "Already established as a mature theorist in the field, Bryan Norton has now produced a masterly treatment which deserves a wide audience. Norton's sensitive discussion rewards reading and re-reading as he clearly and systematically expounds the axioms and institutions underlying the various positions on environmental policy. If the area continues to attract writers as good as Norton, this is something to look forward to with relish." --Times Higher Education Supplement "There are good things to be found and, for non-post-modern readers, there are thoroughgoing chapters on Pollution Control, Biological Diversity, and Land Use Policy -- all related to the USA, but nevertheless of varying interest for the light shed on our own British and European problems." --New European "Takes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental economics and environmental sociology from a philosophical perspective." --Environment "A good, clearly written. . .history of environmentalism." --Integrated Environmental Management "In building his argument, Norton takes an interesting trek through the ideas of environmental notables (Pinchot, Muir, Leopold, Carson, deep ecologists), illustrating his ideas with practical instances of forest, watershed, and park management." --Earth Ethics "This is a thoughtful and provocative book. I'd recommend this book for every teacher of environmental science or ecology. Students in advanced courses in ecology, environmental conservation, and environmental philosophy would also profit from the history of environmentalism and the vision of unification." --Ecology "The book will be of general interest for a wide variety of readers: professionals and general readers, those studying environmental policy, and those simply having a general interest in it. A well-written book by an authority in the field." --Choice "One of the few publications on the application of environmental ethics to policy and practice. No recent contribution by a philosopher is more directly related to land management professionals. Land management professionals should read this book because of its choice combination of themes: the 'environmentalists' dilemma,' land use policy examples, and environmental ethics worldviews." --Journal of the American Planning Association "Bryan Norton is uniquely at home both in philosophical ethics and in contemporary ecological and policy debates. Both practically and metaphysically [the book] is a major contribution. Norton's extended discussions, which are grounded in turn in rich citations both of the current policy literature and of Norton's own interviews with many of the principles. One could profitably read the book just for these details. His reversal of the usual relation between policy and principle remains extraordinarily important and provocative, and the optimism that this reversal makes possible is plausible and more than welcome." --Environmental Ethics "A valuable addition to the literature of environmental ethics." --Hastings Center Report "Already established as a mature theorist in the field, Bryan Norton has now produced a masterly treatment which deserves a wide audience. Norton's sensitive discussion rewards reading and re-reading as he clearly and systematically expounds the axioms and institutions underlying the various positions on environmental policy. If the area continues to attract writers as good as Norton, this is something to look forward to with relish." --Times Higher Education Supplement "There are good things to be found and, for non-post-modern readers, there are thoroughgoing chapters on Pollution Control, Biological Diversity, and Land Use Policy -- all related to the USA, but nevertheless of varying interest for the light shed on our own British and European problems." --New European "Takes an interdisciplinary approach to environmental economics and environmental sociology from a philosophical perspective." --Environment "Provides a clear example of how the skills of a good philosopher can contribute insight in the discussion of the foundations of policy. Norton has produced a masterly treatment which deserves a wide audience. Norton's sensitive discussion rewards reading and re-reading as he clearly and systematically expounds the axioms and institutions underlying the various positions on environmental policy. . . . clearly illustrated by case studies . . . handled in the fair, and competent manner that his readers have come to expect. The final achievement is considerable." --Environmental Values "Powerfully argued. . . . a thought provoking and accessible analysis. . . . it has much to offer environmentalists in this country who are seeking to understand and re-assess the values underpinning their work." --Peter Rawcliffe, ECOS, A Review of Conservation