Being environmentally conscious must be recognized as an ethical issue in the modern world. The ecosystem cannot withstand repeated assaults by one species on the planet. There is an ethical issue with regards to one species destroying countless others. However, while this is considered a “new” concept by many, it is actually an older idea. Other groups of individuals have focused on this in the past. One important group that has done so is the New England Transcendentalists. Transcendentalism recognizes that inherent value of nature. They believe that humans are only part of this experience. As such, they advocated for environmentalism in the 19th Century.
New England Transcendentalism was a philosophy that developed from a number of writers. These writers include Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir and Walt Whitman. The writers believed that every individual needed to find a place within the universe; this would allow the individual to be at harmony with the universe and its goals (Stanford University, 2014). For Emerson and Thoreau, this could best be achieved when an individual communed in solitude with nature. Thoreau’s famous work Walden reflects his desire to achieve this goal. Once in communion with nature, he would enjoy a more fulfilled life. As he famously wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately” (Thoreau, 1854). Emerson also believed that nature offered the individual a significant value with regards to the universe. His work Nature, published in 1836, is considered to be the beginnings of the movement. He indicated that a man could only be alone with himself and his thoughts if he were in solitude in a natural environment. Whitman and Muir also advocated for humans to live in harmony with nature. Humans were part of nature and should not work against it. These thoughts are considered the beginning of the environmental movement in the United States.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Environmental Ethics".
The transcendentalists also believed that all knowledge could be learned through this commune. The communion with nature would allow an individual to “transcend” from his or her earthly and everyday existence. In this way, the individual would reach a higher level of understanding. In this experience, the individual could reach a sublime state; in this, the person was in a state of awe about the beauty and power of the natural world. The transcendentalists were also quite idealistic. They believed that nature allowed the individual to return to a state that existed before society corrupted the soul (Wilson, 2000, p. 39).
This group of writers are considered to be the fathers of the American environmental movement. Their ability to recognize that humans are just a small part of the natural world led others to this same recognition. Humans are not the most important creatures in the ecosystem and the universe. Rather, humans make up a miniscule amount of this eternal creation. As such, humans have an ethical responsibility not to destroy the world. This was the initial focus with the movement. In the recent decades, the movement has gained additional followers because of this. The Earth Day movement began in 1970 and can be attributed to this idea. Thoreau’s use of civil disobedience was also quite popular at this time in recent history. Furthermore, the movement has a future. As individuals begin to recognize the beauty of the natural world, they will undoubtedly continue to rediscover this literary movement (Walden Woods Project, 2014). Their philosophy can also be considered feminist in nature. Nature does not, overall, have a patriarchy. Rather, various species recognize both sexes as dominant at times.
Obviously, as with all philosophies, it is important for them to have a practical application. If not, they will not appeal to those who study them. Transcendentalism most certainly can be applied to practical applications. One important area where there have been a number of environmental concerns is the Appalachian region and the Appalachian Trail. This remains one of the most beautiful natural regions in the United States and must be protected accordingly.
The Appalachian region currently is under assault with regards to its natural habitat. One cause of this assault is the use of its shale deposit as a source of energy. Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as “fracking”, involves the use of applying high pressure water to the shale formation in an attempt to withdraw oil from it. There have been significant concerns that the use of fracking leads to contaminated well water and other water sources. The practical transcendental solution is to significantly reduce the use of this technology until it can be made safer for the water supplies. This would reduce the amount of energy produced in the U.S. Obviously, Americans need to reduce their energy consumption. The argument against this proposal is that Americans cannot continue to rely on overseas oil as a method to supply Americans with their energy needs. The counter-argument for this is that Americans can use green energy, such as wind and solar. New buildings should have solar panels on the roofs to reduce the need for energy.
Another issue involves the Trail, which provides an opportunity for individuals to commune with nature. Many individuals who hike it may come back changed because of their solitary experience in nature. Furthermore, since this Trail allows this to occur, it is critical to have a preservation of it. There are few places in the modern day United States where an individual might be able to reach the sublime aspect of the universe. The Appalachian Trail is one of them. A person can reach a sublime experience on this trail. The argument against its protection is that it costs a significant amount of money to maintain. The counter-argument is merely for individuals to hike the trail. They will be changed as individuals.
The transcendental movement actually led to the development of environmentalism in the U.S. The writers recognized the beauty of the environment and that the environment allows the individual the chance to reach a level of spirituality. Due to this, the movement should be admired among environmentalists in the United States.
- Emerson, R.W. (1836). Nature. Retrieved from: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/emerson/nature-emerson-a.html#Chapter I
- Stanford University. (2014). Transcendentalism. Retrieved from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/transcendentalism/
- Thoreau, H.D. (1854). Walden. Retrieved from: http://www.online- literature.com/thoreau/walden/
- Walden Woods Project. (2014). Thoreau and the environment. Retrieved from: https://www.walden.org/Library/About_Thoreau’s_Life_and_Writings:_The_Research_C ollections/Thoreau_and_the_Environment
- Wilson, E. (2000). Emerson’s Nature, paralogy, and the physics of the sublime. Mosaic (Winnipeg), 33(1), 39.
