Abstract
One of the hallmarks of Western modernity has been its dualistic, or binary, view of the world as consisting of distinct realms of culture and nature. Nature is held to be categorically distinct from humanity and to exist as a resource for humanity, an object for contemplation, or an endangered entity calling for conservation by humans. Critical commentary on culture-nature dualism is on the tip of the tongue these days in the humanities, the social sciences, and elements within the biological sciences. The damage that this dualistic mentality has done over the past three or four centuries is laid out before us in denuded landscapes and depressing statistics on species loss. The ontological separation of humanity from all other species maps onto the earth’s surface as, on the one hand, vast tracts of urban-industrial-agricultural landscape and seascape where other species can only exist as resources, pets and ornamental plantings, and, on the other hand, “protected areas” (such as national parks) where non-human species are more-or-less shielded from human harm.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Global Heritage: a Reader |
Editors | Lynn Meskell |
Place of Publication | U.K. |
Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell |
Pages | 94-111 |
Number of pages | 21 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781118768938 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781118768860 |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- nature
- culture
- humanity