Deep Ecology Movement

The first usage of the term deep ecology was in a 1973 article written by the Norwegian eco-philosopher Arne Naess, who was greatly inspired by Rachel Carson's seminal work Silent Spring. Deep ecology describes a divergent, long-term approach to the mounting ecological crisis that faces industrialized nations, which is distinct from shallow (or reform) ecology. While shallow ecology is often focused on finding short-term solutions for mitigating pollution or fighting resource depletion, deep ecology seeks to combat the approaching ecocatastrophe by establishing an entirely new ontological understanding of the human relationship to nature and the world.

One of the forces working against deep ecology is the prevailing rational/economic ideological paradigm, which commodifies the natural world (hence terms like natural resources) and asserts a detached, teleological model of our relationship to nature. Philosophy is particularly well suited to tackle this misconception, because the human-centered understanding of the natural world is deeply rooted in Cartesian Dualism. The bifurcation of our being into the two independent modalities of mind and body, an understanding that we owe to Descartes's cogito ergo sum (“I think therefore I am”), considers human consciousness as a transcendent entity that is beyond, and separate from, the natural world.

Thus, deep ecology becomes a philosophical project of cultivating ecological consciousness, by positing humans as inseparable from their environs, and championing intuition instead of logical arguments or deductive reasoning. It promotes a perspective of biospherical egalitarianism, which involves a respect and veneration for all forms of life, and voluntary simplicity, which entails a personal self-realization about our patterns of consumption and environmental impact.

The rapid adoption of new (typically consumer) technologies is another element of contemporary culture that worries proponents of the deep ecology movement. Borrowing Heideggerian notions of caution in the face of technological innovation, they question the uncritical passivity with which it is often met, and criticize the notion that the adoption of a new technology is invariably progressive and/or inevitable.

Despite the theory-laden underpinnings, deep ecology is not simply a movement of unembodied or inert ideas. Direct action is central to the deep ecology platform, because, as Naess argues, wisdom without underlying action is useless. For example, in 1970 Naess tied himself to the Mardalsfossen waterfall in Norway to protest the building of a dam. He refused to leave until the plans were dropped and was eventually successful in stopping it from being built.

Arne Naess and George Sessions highlight eight points of the deep ecology platform.

• 1.
  The flourishing of human and nonhuman life on earth has intrinsic value, independent of the usefulness they may have for narrow human purposes.
• 2.
  Richness and diversity of life forms are values in themselves and contribute to the flourishing of human and nonhuman life on earth.
• 3.
  Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital needs.
• 4.
  Present human interference with the nonhuman world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening.
• 5.
  The flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substantial decrease of the human population. The flourishing of nonhuman life requires it.
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• 6.
  Significant change of life conditions for the better requires change in policies. These affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures.
• 7.
  The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating the life quality, rather than adhering to a high quality of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great.
• 8.
  Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to participate in the attempt to implement the necessary changes.

In 1990, inspired by George Session's book Deep Ecology: Living As If Nature Mattered, Doug Tompkins and Jerry Mander established the Foundation for Deep Ecology (FDE) in San Francisco, California. They promote the deep ecology platform through book publishing, radio programs, holding events and conferences, and grant-making. Their mission is to support education, advocacy, and environmental initiatives that advance the causes of sustainability, conservation, and the collective reevaluation of our relationship to nature.

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