Fabricating nature: A critique of the social construction of nature

Journal/Book: Environ Ethics. 2000; 22: Univ North Texas Dept Philosophy, PO Box 13496, Denton, TX 76203-3496, USA. Environmental Philosophy Inc. 339-357.

Abstract: Models of nature have usually referred to ecological, or more generally, scientific understandings, and have seldom included cultural factors. Recently, however, there has been a trend toward defining nature as a ''social construction,'' that is, as an artifact of human social and linguistic capability. I argue that constructionism attempts to assimilate nature to an exclusively anthropocentric ''reality,'' and that it should be seen as expressing long-term industrialist tendencies to separate the ''human'' and the ''natural'' realms and to assimilate the latter to the former. Consequently, the constructionist approach, rather than offering us a fertile means of incorporating cultural influences within environmental theorizing, is better viewed as a cognitive counterpart to industrialism's physical assimilation of the natural world.

Note: Article Kidner DW, Nottingham Trent Univ, Fac Humanities, Nottingham NG11 8NS, ENGLAND

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