#ecophilosophy

Environmental philosophy is the branch of philosophy that explores the ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological dimensions of the relationship between humans and the natural world. It questions our place within nature, our responsibilities toward it, and how we should live in relation to the planet and its ecosystems.

Core Questions and Concerns:

1. What is the value of nature? One of the central concerns is whether nature has intrinsic value (value in itself) or instrumental value (value only in relation to human needs). Environmental philosophers challenge anthropocentric (human-centered) worldviews and explore ecocentric or biocentric alternatives that place ecosystems or all life forms at the center of moral concern.

2. How should humans relate to the environment? This question leads to various ethical positions, including:

Deep ecology, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings and advocates a radical shift in human consciousness.

Ecofeminism, which links environmental degradation with the oppression of women and other marginalized groups.

Land ethics, inspired by Aldo Leopold, which encourages seeing humans as members of a broader biotic community.

3. What responsibilities do we have toward future generations? Environmental philosophy tackles intergenerational justice, asking what duties we have to those who will live after us, especially in the context of climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss.

4. How do culture, language, and economics affect our treatment of nature? Environmental thinkers explore how ideologies, capitalist structures, and industrial paradigms influence environmental degradation. They also analyze how language shapes our perception of nature—whether as "resource," "wilderness," or "home."

THIS IS A through-composed 65-minute set of new texts, poems & pieces, mostly composed 2017-18, and produced almost entirely in the great OREGON wilderness, almost entirely off-grid. It begins w/ a MANIFESTO, 3-fold REVOLUTION, dedicated to my HURRICANE VALLEY friends, Chad & Christina.

(1) 3-FOLD REVOLUTION, a miniature (2) "WHAT WOULD YOU DO? the Earth asks," a soundpoem (3) THINKING LIKE A STONEPINE, a soundpoem (4) NONVIOLENCE IS ALWAYS A WIDER CIRCLE, a miniature (5) I CANCELLED MY ACCOUNT & TWO MISTAKES, two miniatures (6) NIGHT MEDITATION ON THE SUFFERING OF THE WORLD, a childrens' rhyming poem on the Death Penalty (7) NO CULTURE WILL SURVIVE THIS ABSENCE OF THE SACRED, a soundpoem (8) AGAINST ENTERTAINMENT, a soundpoem miniature (9) THIS IS WAR, a soundpoem, on a text by Marilyn WARRING, w/ Simone de HAAN, solo trombone (10) THE LITTLE CLAVIER, a soundpoem, w/ Simone de HAAN, solo 'prepared' trombone (11) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, first (the Hannah ARENDT) movement (12) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, second (the CONFUSION IS PANDEMIC) movement (13) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, third (the MONEY) movement (14) SWEET EXTINCTIONS & SIGN OF THE TIMES, a set of miniatures

I’m going to be posting more about environmental issues in the coming months. This is in part because of what’s happening in the US. The American government is slowly suffocating scientists and organizations that willingly speak out about environmental pollution and climate change. These actions will and already are impacting other global leaders.

The current US president believes it’s possible to sacrifice environmental concern for a profit. Let’s make it clear: your country’s economy and its way of life relies heavily on the Earth. Our food, water, air, shelter, resources, art, tourism, and more are wholly dependent on the state of the planet, the health of our ecosystem. 

You cannot sacrifice the Earth for profit and you cannot stop scientific inquiry.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of Agriculture are being put on indefinite lockdown. They have been barred from the press and their research grants have been frozen. This has not occurred during any prior shift in US presidency, this is not “business as normal”.

US National Parks have had their social media pages wiped clean after reporting on climate change, to the point where a few “rogue” national park rangers created an unofficial “resistance” account in order to keep the information flowing. 

And now, in the aftermath of the Women’s March on DC, there are plans for a Scientists’ March which I would say is just as necessary judging by the political climate in just the last week alone. I encourage people to sign up for updates on the Scientists’ March and see how they can get involved.

(1) 3-FOLD REVOLUTION, a miniature (2) "WHAT WOULD YOU DO? the Earth asks," a soundpoem (3) THINKING LIKE A STONEPINE, a soundpoem (4) NONVIOLENCE IS ALWAYS A WIDER CIRCLE, a miniature (5) I CANCELLED MY ACCOUNT & TWO MISTAKES, two miniatures (6) NIGHT MEDITATION ON THE SUFFERING OF THE WORLD, a childrens' rhyming poem on the Death Penalty (7) NO CULTURE WILL SURVIVE THIS ABSENCE OF THE SACRED, a soundpoem (8) AGAINST ENTERTAINMENT, a soundpoem miniature (9) THIS IS WAR, a soundpoem, on a text by Marilyn WARRING, w/ Simone de HAAN, solo trombone (10) THE LITTLE CLAVIER, a soundpoem, w/ Simone de HAAN, solo 'prepared' trombone (11) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, first (the Hannah ARENDT) movement (12) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, second (the CONFUSION IS PANDEMIC) movement (13) EPIGRAM, a soundpoem cycle, third (the MONEY) movement (14) SWEET EXTINCTIONS & SIGN OF THE TIMES, a set of miniatures