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Contemporary environmental philosophy began as a political movement. For this reason, Andrew Light distinguishes environmental philosophy from other branches of the discipline by saying that where the rest of philosophy seeks truth, environmental philosophers seek to craft good policy (Light, 1996, p. 327). Environmental philosophy took seriously the activists who would give their lives for the sake of a forest or to stop the hunting of wild animals. While there has been disagreement on whether environmental activism should use sabotage or other violent methods, theorists take activists' care for nonhumans to heart, and work to build a systematic philosophy for this concern (Nash, 1989, pp. 193–195). More than just the personal commitment of the activist motivates the best among environmental philosophers to break from mainstream tradition. It is commonly accepted in environmental philosophy that human industry caused a crisis unprecedented in scope and destructiveness. One often reads that the ability of Earth itself to maintain life as we understand it is at risk. Contemporary environmental philosophers see themselves as leading a charge to transform society radically. The ultimate goals may vary, with some advocating sustainable economic development and escaping dependence on fossil fuel, and some advocating a return to a low-population agrarian society. Each environmental philosopher has his or her own vision of the ecologically friendly civilization, but almost all call for radical change.

DOI: 10.1057/9781137536235_4

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