The Research On William Leiss' Ecological Theory

Ecological problem is one of the most serious problems that face mankind currently.Since the late 20th century,to think the problem and seek its solutions has been the west scholars' missions who have rich sense of history and consciousness of responsibility.William Leiss-Canadian scholar,is one of the founders of Ecological Marxism,whose theory not only opens the first Ecological Marxism,but also has had a wide-ranging influence.Therefore,it is necessary to research Leiss' ecological theory,both for our understanding of the history and the status quo of the development of the ecological movement,and our understanding of the whole Ecological Marxism.Leiss elucidates comprehensively his ecological theory in two works-"The Domination of Nature" and "The Limits to Satisfaction".This paper aims to,through reading and interpreting the originals,carding,analyzing and summarizing their ideas, demonstrate Leiss' original appearance of ecological theory,and reveal its theoretical value and limitations.This article points out that Leiss' ecological theory is not realistically groundless, but the reflection of deterioration of the human survival environment,therefore his theory has a solid basis in reality.Leiss' ecological theory also has academic basis, which is,in the face of growing ecological crisis,his sentiment of re-thinking to the ideological fathers' relevant theory after reviewing the human thought on the "control nature" in the history.So Leiss' ecological theory has its unique as well as profound theoretical basis.This article thinks that the unique is that Leiss pointed out early that:the root of the most profound ecological crisis is the "domination of nature" concept.And the source of the "domination" is the endless "satisfaction to desire".However,the ability of nature to satisfy desire is limit.So the human's capacity to dominate nature is.The way to address this "two-pronged" plight is a double progress of science and ethics, checking mankind's "unlimited desire",building a "survival of the community is easy" system in order to achieve harmony between man and man,and then between man and nature. This article points out that Leiss has a clear understanding and dialectic analysis to the role which science and technology play in protecting ecological environment.And his thinking of the meaning and value of ethical and social system for the protection to ecology shows that he tries to seek ways to solve the ecological crisis from the level of spirit and system through breaking material and technological limitations. However,Leiss' ecological theory also has its limitations:his analysis to the relationship between the "domination of nature" concept and the capitalist system is relatively shallow;he eventually believes that the solution to ecological crisis boils down to the progress of ethics and morals.That is why he ultimately emphasizes how to restrict the subject's desire but discount the establishment of system in the research of the concrete program,which make his solution possess utopian color.