Radical environmentalism and modernity: Nature, ontology, and meaning in the technological era

In this paper I am interested in radical environmental theory. I claim that radical environmentalists also respond to the environmental crisis by criticizing Modernity. I will trace the rise of Modernity through a history of ideas involving the transfer from orality to literacy at the time of the Ancient Greeks. Radical environmentalism arises out of an inability or unwillingness of reformists to examine the root causes of rampant environmental degradation. Reformist techniques, including environmental ethics, are understood by the radicals as misguided responses because they do not get to the root causes of the matter. I will present Arne Naess's deep ecology, Murray Bookchin's social ecology, and essentialist ecofeminism. Ethics will be seen not as analytically derived principles for right conduct but rather will be a condition of existence arising from reality. I will give particular attention to, throughout this discussion to Arne Naess and deep ecology.Finally, I will present my understanding of poststructuralism in the context of contemporary technoculture. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...