On Marsh’s View Of Human-Nature Relationship In Man And Nature

George Perkins Marsh wrote his monumental Man and Nature in1864. It bearsrealistic significance with implied environmental consciousness while not enoughattention has been paid to his work. This thesis tries to study Marsh’s view on therelationship between human and nature using Norton’s theory of weakanthropocentrism. Human beings have exerted great influence on nature withoutconsidering the probable consequences. While warning about the human propensity todestroy the balance of nature, Marsh also maintained hope in the human ability torepair the damage and conserve the fabric of nature. He believed that the destructiveimpacts could be avoided if human beings behave rationally and use science in theproper way. In the United States, Marsh’s writings helped stimulate discussion ofmajor new land-use policies. Marsh’s views on nature, human agency, stewardship,and environmental policy are still relevant today.