Merleau-Ponty and Environmental Philosophy

Download or read book Merleau-Ponty and Environmental Philosophy written by Suzanne L. Cataldi and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2007-04-24 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This richly diverse collection looks at the contemporary relevance of the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty to environmental issues and builds a coherent philosophical ecology based on his thought. The contributors describe and analyze relations within the natural world by focusing on the centrality of relations in Merleau-Ponty's work; his concept of the bond between humanity and nature; and his novel philosophies of perception, embodiment, and "wild" Being. Eco-phenomenologies of living places such as Central Park in New York City, Midwestern farmlands, and communal household dwellings of Pacific Northwest Coast people are closely examined. The contributors also explore Merleau-Ponty's philosophy for environmental ethics and develop notions such as vital values, somatic empathy, and interspecies sociality.