The practice of ecological restoration raises many urgent questions for the arts and humanities disciplines.
Some of these have to do with the value of restored, “reproduced” ecosystems. What are we to make of them? What value do they have, especially in comparison with their “natural” counterparts? Are they “natural” or not. Are they authentic or, as some have argued, “fake”?
Others have to do with the practice and experience of restoration itself and of the relationship with nature it entails.
Are humans part of nature or in some way apart from it? What is the value---or disvalue---of the manipulation, abstraction and alienation restoration entails? How are we to derive full value from the experience of restoration? What is the relationship between action, how we think and talk about that action, and the value it generates?
What, more broadly, are the values that underlie an ethic, not just in an abstract, but in a practical, operational sense? How are they created and how are they built into conscience?
How are we to deal with the untoward aspects of experience, such as discrimination and killing, transcendence, hierarchy and authority?
What is our relationship to time and to the past and future?
Some of these have to do with the value of restored, “reproduced” ecosystems. What are we to make of them? What value do they have, especially in comparison with their “natural” counterparts? Are they “natural” or not. Are they authentic or, as some have argued, “fake”?
Others have to do with the practice and experience of restoration itself and of the relationship with nature it entails.
Are humans part of nature or in some way apart from it? What is the value---or disvalue---of the manipulation, abstraction and alienation restoration entails? How are we to derive full value from the experience of restoration? What is the relationship between action, how we think and talk about that action, and the value it generates?
What, more broadly, are the values that underlie an ethic, not just in an abstract, but in a practical, operational sense? How are they created and how are they built into conscience?
How are we to deal with the untoward aspects of experience, such as discrimination and killing, transcendence, hierarchy and authority?
What is our relationship to time and to the past and future?
William R. Jordan III
Institute for Nature and Culture
Institute for Nature and Culture
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