Drengson, Alan

The Trumpeter - Journal of Ecosophy (Athabasca University)

Trumpeter (1992)ISSN: 0832-6193THE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENTAND ARNE NAESSAlan DrengsonTrumpeterTHE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENT AND ARNE NAESS2Please Note: With publication of this issue on Arne Naess andthe Deep Ecology Movement, only a few focus areas remain ofthose we set out to cover over nine years ago. It is time for TheTumpeter to find a new home and editor. If you have suggestions,send them. I will edit and produce the journal until a new editor isfound. Thanks to all of you who have supported and contributedto making this a successful journal journey.In strange ways so many of our lives run in parallel paths. This is shown in thewritings which gather in this issue of The Trumpeter. There are many commonelements in the different ways of reaching out to contact the larger world of spon-taneous wild nature, there to find our humanity in diverse, creative richness.Consider some common themes: turning to wild nature and the mountains forsolace, for wisdom, for strength, for maturation, for spiritual comradeship, forlessons in devotion and humility; reading works by Spinoza and being inspiredby his grand vision of the unity of all beings as radiant forms of an infinitelydivine one, and so coming to appreciate the sacredness of diverse beings whilemarvelling at each’s unique inherent value; hearing glorious music, for exampleby the romantic poets and composers which echoes the voices of Nature andplace; working through the difficult transitions of self-realization to learn thatwe must dwell wisely even with incomplete knowledge, yet we aspire towardcomprehensive understanding; reflecting on violence and its consequences andcoming to embrace nonviolence with a spiritual commitment to resolving dis-agreements through mutual respect and collective action. There is a beautifulunity in this diversity.One of the many insights Arne Naess has shared with other supporters of theDeep Ecology Movement clarifies the need to respect and honor all forms ofdiversity: ecological, biological, cultural, personal, etc. This emphasizes thatecological wisdom (ecosophy) is realized in an unlimited diversity of ways, morenumerous than all existing species. Followers of the Deep Ecology Movementshare a principle commitment to honor diversity and richness and the inherentworth of all beings. Arne has helped to clearly articulate our deepest shared con-cerns, whether our spiritual foundation is Christian, Buddhist, Moslem, Taoist,Jewish, Shamanic, Pagan, and so on. Regardless of ultimate faith, supporter-s of the movement all painfully feel the suffering caused by the consumptivedestructiveness of modern technological societies.In his summary overview of the grass-roots, worldwide ecology movement (In-quiry 1973), Arne Naess helped to crystallize the environmental community’sconcerns and aspiration to create something better than industrial culture. Hehas helped others to see the necessity for richness and diversity in ultimatepremises, and how, from such diversity, there can be a collective commitmentto the same key (or variants thereof) platform principles. From the agreed uponplatform principles (which are evolving) a wide variety of practical actions canCopyright 1999 TrumpeterTHE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENT AND ARNE NAESS3be undertaken. For example, a person might base their lives on a form of Chris-tianity. If informed, such a person would understand the rudiments of ecologyand natural science, and have an overview of our cultural activities against thebackground of natural history; thus, they would appreciate the depths of theenvironmental crisis. Then, they would take steps to help to lessen the crisis,while working with others to prevent problems from arising in the first place. Inworking toward this end, this person would come to know others who share thesame concerns and long range aims, even though they had different backgroundsand ultimate philosophies. Nevertheless, they share commitment to ending theenvironmental crisis through deep changes; they know that we cannot go onwith business-as-usual. This is the essence of the Deep Ecology Movement.The environmental crisis can be deeply understood only by means of a com-prehensive approach, which requires interdisciplinary knowledge, but also formsof understanding and wisdom which lie beyond all disciplines. A person whostrives for comprehensive understanding and meaningful life-action, realizes thatenvironmental problems are not just local or regional, but are also global ones.Their global extent raises other questions: How can the diverse human familywork together to end violence, achieve social justice, world peace, and harmonywith Nature? Arne Naess put these questions to us, and invited us to reflect onour own ultimate values. He has spoken eloquently of what many of us alreadyknew in our hearts or perhaps only sensed.Whether reflecting on modesty and mountain climbing, or on how to definesustainable development, or on the ecology of self, Arne’s approach is one ofquestioning, of always digging down to get to the roots of questions and issues.This is the authentic spirit of philosophy as an ongoing inquiry into our totallives, while in pursuit of wisdom; it is the essence of Socratic philosophy.In distinguishing between the long range Deep Ecology Movement and the shortterm Shallow Ecology Movement, Arne helped us clarify our thoughts, crystal-lize our understanding, and inspire us with confidence. He gave us the word”ecosophy”, reflections upon which are endlessly enriching and empowering.The environmental movement, then, has two principle forms: one goes on withbusiness-as-usual and introduces only very minor changes without questioningdeeply into values; the other questions deeply into values and sees we cannot goon with business-as-usual, for a host of interconnected reasons.Arne Naess has helped us to understand that supporters of the Deep EcologyMovement do not have to all have the same ultimate premises. He does notclaim that his own ultimate philosophical foundations are ones which othersmust accept. When he articulates his own ultimate grounds for support of theDeep Ecology Movement (and also his support for Gandhian nonviolent action— for they are the same), he calls the result Ecosophy T.The ”T” here is the first letter for the name of his hut in the mountains ofNorway. The hut’s name is the Norwegian word for the rocks in the area whichCopyright 1999 TrumpeterTHE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENT AND ARNE NAESS4contain distinctive crystal patterns. This title emphasizes that Ecosophy T isfor him and his mountain place, but it may help some others, who like hisarticulations. The mountains became as a father to Arne, when as a child helost his own dad. For many of us whose fathers were gone (to war or depressionperhaps) the mountains became surrogates. Many of us share a spiritual kinshipwith mountains. Mountains call us to explore wilderness and ourselves. This isan important journey of self-development for many of us living in the modernperiod.In so many ways Arne has led in this journey. He plunged into his own innerdepths through psychotherapy between the world wars. Out of these and otherdepth journeys he has become a quintessential supporter of the Deep EcologyMovement. He exemplifies the creative, spontaneous, playful and spirited energyof Nature itself, in his positive optimism and encouragement of others. He setsa marvelous example for us with his search for clarity and willingness to takeintellectual and other risks; by his courage to remain steadfast and cheerful,no matter what the circumstances seem; in his avoidance of violent language.Thus, we devote this issue as a tribute to him. His work gave us the word”ecosophy” in our title and helped us to define our principle mission: to reflectand communicate the richness and diversity of character and culture emergingthrough active commitment to the platform principles of the worldwide, DeepEcology Movement. Here is a recent statement of these principles:The Platform Principles of the Deep EcologyMovement1. The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman Life on Earth havevalue in themselves (synonyms: intrinsic value, inherent value). Thesevalues are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for humanpurposes.2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of thesevalues and are also values in themselves.3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfyvital human needs.4. The flourishing of human life and cultures is compatible with a substan-tial decrease of the human population. The flourishing of nonhuman liferequires such a decrease.5. Present human interference with the nonhuman world is excessive, andthe situation is rapidly worsening.Copyright 1999 TrumpeterTHE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENT AND ARNE NAESS56. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect basic economic,technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state of affairs willbe deeply different from the present.7. The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwellingin situations of inherent value) rather than adhering to an increasinglyhigher standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of thedifference between big & great.8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directlyor indirectly to try to implement the necessary changes. (Quoted from:Deep Ecology, by Bill Devall and George Sessions, Gibb Smith, Salt LakeCity, 1985, p. 70).It needs to be emphasized that these are proposed platform principles for theDeep Ecology Movement. In publishing them, Naess and Sessions hoped otherswould consider these 8 principles as a working, but not definitive, platform forthe Movement, and certainly not as a total philosophy with ultimate metaphys-ical postulates. They and other Philosophical supporters of the Deep EcologyMovement have gone on to articulate their own ecosophies.Warwick Fox has suggested that all those philosophers (which includes Arne),whose ultimate premises are linked to an active extension of identification witha larger ecological Self be called transpersonal ecologists. This is partly becausethe emphasis on Self-realization logically entails exploration of all levels of aware-ness, from the prepersonal (sentient and reactive), to the personal (cognitive anddeliberative) to the transpersonal (wise and responsive). In extending our senseof identification and care, and in expanding our capacity to love, we flourishand realize ourselves in harmony with others. We come to understand thatour own Self-realization is interconnected with the Self-realization of all otherbeings. We cannot flourish and realize ourselves if we destroy their homes, andinterfere with their possibilties of self-realization. This way of thinking, experi-encing, and acting in the world through extension of identification, expansion ofcare, and transcendence of ego, is a deepening, transformative, developmentalprocess. It is ongoing maturation. Many philosophical supporters of the DeepEcology Movement in this issue have followed this approach to ecosophy.Humans can fail to realize the transpersonal ecological Self, when they identifytoo narrowly with an insecure, small ego-self. Sometimes expanding awarenessbeyond ego requires painful self-examination and criticism, sometimes therapy,perhaps even extended healing and support. A principle value imperative fortranspersonal ecology is ”Self-realization for all beings.” This is an imperativewhich Arne has gracefully articulated in his Ecosophy T. As a moral impera-tive it underscores the necessity of nonviolence, love, gentleness, appreciation,respect, humility, and gratitude; it inspires actions toward others which encour-age their own flourishing and Self-realization. As self-reflective agents humansmust make choices based on trying to understand their lives in a completeCopyright 1999 Trumpeterway. This is difficult and we can get stuck. We might confuse a better quali-ty of life with a higher standard of living, measured quantitatively by money,material possessions, and power. However, these different quantities representonly a series of translations of one single value, which not only lacks richnessand diversity, but is just an instrumental value, not a good in itself. Thisdepth reflection is an inquiry into our ultimate foundations and basis for life.This is the realm of th&#224; sacred spiritua&#236; dimensio&#238; i&#238;dail&#249; lif&#224; choice&#243; fo&#242; lovin&#231; an&#228; learn-ing.May this issue stimulate readers to articulate their own ultimate premises andundertake positive actions which flow from a commitment to the platform prin-ciples of the worldwide, long range, Deep Ecology Movement.Citation FormatDrengson, Alan (1992) THE LONG-RANGE DEEP ECOLOGY MOVEMENT AND ARNENAESS Trumpeter: 9, 2. http://www.icaap.org/iuicode?6.9.2.1Document generated from IXML by ICAAP conversion macros.See the ICAAP web site or software repository for details

The Long-Ranged Deep Ecology Movement and Arne Naess

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The Long-Ranged Deep Ecology Movement and Arne Naess

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The Trumpeter - Journal of Ecosophy (Athabasca University)