Nature, God and Humanity

"Nature, God and Humanity" weaves together philosophical, scientific, religious and cultural considerations to show why non-human animals and nature in general are proper objects of moral concern and how our well-being dependson harmony with nature-as-created. The book clarifies the task of forming an ethics of nature, thereby empowering readers to develop their own critical, faith-based ethics. Calling on original, thought-provoking analyses and arguments, Richard L. Fern frames a philosophical ethics of nature, assesses it scientifically, finds support for it in traditional biblical theism, and situates it culturally. Though defending the moral value of beliefs affirming the radical Otherness of God and human uniqueness, the book aims not to compell the adoption of any particular ethic but rather to illumine the contribution diverse forms of inquiry make to an ethics of nature. How does philosophy clarify moral conviction? What does science tell us about nature? Why does religious faith matter? Rejecting the illusion of a single, rationally-compelling ethics, Fern answers these questions in a way that fosters both agreement and disagreement, allowing those holding conflicting ethics of nature to work together to end our current, foolish abuse of wild nature.