Synopses & Reviews
For far too long humans have been ignoring nature. As the most dominant, overproducing, overconsuming, big-brained, big-footed, arrogant, and invasive species ever known, we are wrecking the planet at an unprecedented rate. And while science is important to our understanding of the impact we have on our environment, it alone does not hold the answers to the current crisis, nor does it get people to act. In
Ignoring Nature No More, Marc Bekoff and a host of renowned contributors argue that we need a new mind-set about nature, one that centers on empathy, compassion, and being proactive.
This collection of diverse essays is the first book devoted to compassionate conservation, a growing global movement that translates discussions and concerns about the well-being of individuals, species, populations, and ecosystems into action. Written by leading scholars in a host of disciplines, including biology, psychology, sociology, social work, economics, political science, and philosophy, as well as by locals doing fieldwork in their own countries, the essays combine the most creative aspects of the current science of animal conservation with analyses of important psychological and sociocultural issues that encourage or vex stewardship. The contributors tackle topics including the costs and benefits of conservation, behavioral biology, media coverage of animal welfare, conservation psychology, and scales of conservation from the local to the global. Taken together, the essays make a strong case for why we must replace our habits of domination and exploitation with compassionate conservation if we are to make the world a better place for nonhuman and human animals alike.
Review
"One of the most fascinating--and readable--academic books of the year, this groundbreaking study gathers together some remarkable research about the way animals can show compassion and empathy and even have a sense of fair play." Booklist
Review
"Do animals feel empathy for each other, treat one another fairly, cooperate toward common goals, and help each other out of trouble? In short, do animals demonstrate morality? Bekoff and Pierce answer with an emphatic 'yes!' in this fusion of animal behavior, animal cognition, and philosophy. The authors discuss the sense of fair play and justice in nonhuman animals. Social animals form networks of relationships, and these relationships rely on trust, reciprocity, and flexibility—just as they do in humans. Calling these behaviors morality, the authors present evidence that morality is an adaptive strategy that has evolved in multiple animal groups. Basing their argument for animal morality on published research (listed in the generous bibliography) and anecdotal evidence, the authors group moral behaviors into three clusters: cooperation, empathy, and justice, each of which is discussed in turn. A final chapter is a synthesis of moral behavior and philosophy, suggesting areas for further study and discussion. The conversational tone and numerous illustrative examples make this an excellent introduction to a new science." Tom Fort - Telegraph
Review
"Focusing here on the gentler side of animal natures, animal behaviorist Bekoff and philosopher Pierce discuss recent scientific studies documenting that great apes, monkeys, wolves, coyotes, hyenas, dolphins, whales, elephants, rats, and mice are capable of a wide range of moral behavior. They strongly urge the scientific and philosophical communities to recognize that these animals can act as moral agents within the context of their own social groups. This provocative and well-argued view of animal morality may surprise some readers as it challenges outdated assumptions about animals. The authors' intention, however, is not to unseat humans from their moral pinnacle but to uplift our animal kin into the moral realm. Written as much for other academics as for interested lay readers, this lucid book is highly recommended for animal behavior collections in university and large public libraries." Library Journal
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“In a time when biological determinism, competition, and ‘red tooth and claw views of animal and human behavior are so prevalent in both scientific and popular literature, Bekoff and Pierce offer a breath of fresh air. They provide ample evidence and a rational theory for the evolution and existence of cooperation, justice, empathy, and morality in social-living animals. This collaboration of a biologist and a philosopher has done a great service to the current understanding and future direction of the study of animal behavior.” Robert W. Sussman, coeditor of The Origins and Nature of Sociality
Review
“Wild Justice makes a compelling argument for open-mindedness regarding non-human animals. . . I think theyve hit the right note here in trying to further discussion of a provocative thesis.” Deborah Blum
Review
"One of the most fascinating--and readable--academic books of the year, this groundbreaking study gathers together some remarkable research about the way animals can show compassion and empathy and even have a sense of fair play."--Sunday Telegraph
Review
"The authors write as though they are having a conversation with the reader. . . . This well-thought-out, provocative work will give scientific and lay readers plenty of examples to rethink and open new paths of research into the lives and minds of animals." Tom Cushing - Bark
Review
"Humans think of themselves as the only moral animals. But what about the elephant who sets a group of captive antelope free, the rat who refuses to shock another to earn a reward, and the magpie who grieves for her young? Cognitive animal behaviorist Bekoff and philosopher Pierce argue that nonhuman animals also are moral beings—with not just building blocks or precursors of morality but the real deal. The research gathered here makes a compelling case that it is time to reconsider yet another of the traits we have claimed as uniquely our own."
Discover
Review
“Wild Justice represents multi-disciplinary scholarship at its finest. All future collaborations between ethologists and philosophers will be measured against the high standard set by Bekoff and Pierce.” Tom Regan, author of Empty Cages
Review
"As dense with information as this book is, it remains readable by nonscientists, and its philosophical implications reach far beyond scientific confines." Richard Gray - Telegraph
Review
“As a child I learned that behaving fairly, during play with others, was a very important social rule. As a mother, I learned that treating my child fairly was key in building his trust and cooperation. And we find that fairness plays an important role in the social interactions of many different animals and is key in developing and maintaining friendships. Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce's ideas about the moral lives of animals stress the significance of fairness, cooperation, empathy, and justice, aspects of behavior desperately needed in the world today. Read this book, share it widely, and incorporate its lessons into your classroom, family room or board room.” Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, founder�of the Jane Goodall Institute, and United Nation
Review
"Cognitive ethologist Bekoff and philosopher Pierce explore the moral lives of such commonly studied animals as primates, wolves, household rodents, elephants, dolphins—and a few more uncommon critters as well. . . . The authors contend that, in order to understand the moral compass by which animals live, we must first expand our definition of morality to include moral behavior unique to each species. Studies done by the authors, as well as experts in the fields of psychology, human social intelligent, zoology, and other branches of relevant science excellently bolster their claim." Publishers Weekly
Review
“Over the last generation animals have increasingly come to be seen as objects of moral concern rather than mere things that can be used for our purposes. Building on the work of other scientists and philosophers, Bekoff and Pierce challenge us to go further and to see animals, not just as creatures who can be treated unjustly, but as themselves dispensers of ‘wild justice. Not everyone will agree, but their provocative challenge must be addressed.” Dale W. Jamieson, New York University
Review
“Bekoff and Pierce have managed to convince this initial sceptic that, at the very least, they have a strong case backed by compelling evidence. . . . As a result of reading Wild Justice I know a lot more than I did. I will never be able to look at a dog or a cat, or a cow or a coyote for that matter, in the same way again.” New Scientist
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“A selection of provocative but mostly accessible essays by scientists trying to answer such difficult questions as: When it comes to saving species, should we favor ‘charismatic’ animals like wolves over, say, ants?”
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“An amazing collection.”
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“Rich in insight and detail.”
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“A good choice for supplementary reading in animal welfare courses. . . . Recommended.”
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“[W]ith this collection of thoughtful articles, as well as its inclusion of contact information for the authors, the book itself takes concrete steps toward bringing largely disconnected groups together to work on the complex problems of conservation.”
Review
“It may not be easy to be compassionate in this speedy, greed-ridden world, but maybe a person can be a bit kinder. Marc Bekoff and his fellow contributors make the case that an attitude of intelligent caring is both possible and essential if the world is to be saved.”
Review
“Marc Bekoff has gathered here a remarkable field of thinkers to address humanity’s deepening estrangement from nature. Through the annals of history and science and literature, one message emerges clear: Our modern penchant for ignoring nature is not some harmless hiccup in an otherwise glorious human saga; it is a deadly sickness inflicting a world of impoverishment and misery for us and our fellow creatures. But in the case for compassion—for opening our hearts to the joys and sufferings of the world beyond our noses—we find a cure for our gravest threats, and at last, a reason for hope.”
Review
“I have mentored hundreds of idealistic young students over the years who have wanted to ‘save nature.’ They are shocked to discover that often what ‘saving’ means in practice is a single-minded devotion to killing and uprooting the unwanted, misplaced, ‘alien,’ or ‘exotic.’
Ignoring Nature No More is the sort of mash-up that has the potential to lead us away from this paradigm, towards treasuring life in all of its crazy, contradictory complexity.”
Review
“For years a small coterie of environmentalists, animal rights activists, ethicists, conservation biologists, philosophers, park management officials, and legislators have been grappling with the relationships between individuals and species; populations and habitats; bio-invasives and native and endemic species. What is the right thing to do with regard to listing threatened and endangered species? When is ecological legislation overreaching or, conversely, inadequate? At what point should humanity step in to resurrect past ecosystems, or prepare for climate-change-related future biomes? These and many other topics meant to help heal divisions between conservation biology and advocates of animal rights and animal welfare are forthrightly grappled with in Marc Bekoff’s important new, bold, eclectic, and forward-looking anthology, which scans the planet for flash points where animal protection and conservation biology are in direct correlation, conflict, ethically ambiguous point-counterpoint, or simply off the radar of most local, regional, and international discussion. This thoughtful book is a must-read for every student of zoology, ecology, environmental ethics, and conservation biology.”
Review
“Ignoring Nature No More builds momentum for further work to refine the question: As Bekoff phrased it, ‘How can differences between people concerned with individual animal welfare and those considered with species be resolved?’”
Synopsis
Scientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our ability to understand animals as they really are. Yet what are we to make of a female gorilla in a German zoo who spent days mourning the death of her baby? Or a wild female elephant who cared for a younger one after she was injured by a rambunctious teenage male? Or a rat who refused to push a lever for food when he saw that doing so caused another rat to be shocked? Aren't these clear signs that animals have recognizable emotions and moral intelligence? With Wild Justice Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce unequivocally answer yes.
Marrying years of behavioral and cognitive research with compelling and moving anecdotes, Bekoff and Pierce reveal that animals exhibit a broad repertoire of moral behaviors, including fairness, empathy, trust, and reciprocity. Underlying these behaviors is a complex and nuanced range of emotions, backed by a high degree of intelligence and surprising behavioral flexibility. Animals, in short, are incredibly adept social beings, relying on rules of conduct to navigate intricate social networks that are essential to their survival. Ultimately, Bekoff and Pierce draw the astonishing conclusion that there is no moral gap between humans and other species: morality is an evolved trait that we unquestionably share with other social mammals.
Sure to be controversial, Wild Justice offers not just cutting-edge science, but a provocative call to rethink our relationship with-and our responsibilities toward-our fellow animals.
About the Author
Marc Bekoff has published numerous books, including The Emotional Lives of Animals, and has provided expert commentary for many media outlets, including the New York Times, CNN, and the BBC. Jessica Pierce has taught and written about philosophy for many years. She is the author of a number of books, including Morality Play: Case Studies in Ethics.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Benjamin B. Beck
Preface
Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
It Shouldnt Be All about Us
Acknowledgments
Part One Ethics, Conservation, and Animal Protection
Trying to Make Difficult Decisions Easier
1 The Infirm Ethical Foundations of Conservation
John A. Vucetich and Michael P. Nelson
2 Venturing beyond the Tyranny of Small Differences
The Animal Protection Movement, Conservation, and Environmental Education
Paul Waldau
3 Ecocide and the Extinction of Animal Minds
Eileen Crist
4 Talking about Bushmeat
Dale Peterson
5 Conservation, Animal Rights, and Human Welfare
A Pragmatic View of the “Bushmeat Crisis”
Ben A. Minteer
Part 2 Conservation Behavior and “Enlightened Management”
Guidelines for Restoring, Recreating, and Redecorating Nature
6 Why We Really Dont Care about the Evidence in Evidence-Based Decision Making in Conservation (and How to Change This)
Daniel T. Blumstein
7 Cautionary Wildlife Tales
Learning to Fail or Failing to Learn?
Joel Berger
8 Coyotes, Compassionate Conservation, and Coexistence
Why Ignoring Nature Means Ineffective “Predator Management”
Camilla H. Fox
9 Why Evolutionary Biology Is Important for Conservation
Toward Evolutionarily Sustainable Harvest Management
Marco Festa-Bianchet
10 Reintroductions to “Ratchet Up” Public Perceptions of Biodiversity
Reversing the Extinction of Experience through Animal Restorations
Philip J. Seddon and Yolanda van Heezik
11 Przewalskis Horses and Red Wolves
Importance of Behavioral Research for Species Brought Back from the Brink of Extinction
Sarah R. B. King
12 Why Individuals Matter
Lessons in Animal Welfare and Conservation
Liv Baker
Part 3 Conservation Economics and Politics
It All Comes Down to Money
13 The Imperative of Steady State Economics for Wild Animal Welfare
Brian Czech
14 Conservation, Biodiversity, and Tourism in New Zealand
Engaging with the Conservation Economy
Eric J. Shelton
Part Four Human Dimensions of Social Justice, Empathy, and Compassion for Animals and Other Nature
15 Anthropological Perspectives on Ignoring Nature
Barbara J. King
16 Nature and Animals in Human Social Interactions
Fostering Environmental Identity
Susan Clayton
17 Conservation Social Work
The Interconnectedness of Biodiversity Health and Human Resilience
Philip Tedeschi, Sarah M. Bexell, and Jolie NeSmith
18 The War on Nature—Turning the Tide?
Lessons from Other Movements and Conservation History
David Johns
19 Consuming Nature
The Cultural Politics of Animals and the Environment in the Mass Media
Carrie Packwood Freeman and Jason Leigh Jarvis
20 Children, Animals, and Social Neuroscience
Empathy, Conservation Education, and Activism
Olin E. “Gene” Myers Jr.
Part 5 Culture, Religion, and Spirituality
Using Empathy and Compassion to Develop a Unified Global Movement to Protect Animals and Their Homes
21 Compassionate Conservation
A Paradigm Shift for Wildlife Management in Australasia
Daniel Ramp, Dror Ben-Ami, Keely Boom, and David B. Croft
22 Chinas Wildlife Crisis
Cultural Tradition or Politics of Development
Peter J. Li
23 A Triangular Playing Field
The Social, Economic, and Ethical Context of Conserving Indias Natural Heritage
Vivek Menon
24 Conservation and Its Challenges in Kenya
Josphat Ngonyo and Mariam Wanjala
25 Is Green Religion an Oxymoron?
Biocultural Evolution and Earthly Spirituality
Bron Taylor
26 Avatar
The Search for Biosynergy and Compassion
Anthony L. Rose and A. Gabriela Rose
Some Closing Words
Moving Ahead with Heart, Peace, and Compassion
Marc Bekoff
About the Contributors
Contributors Contact Information
Index