Merchant, C. (2002). A Conversation with Carolyn Merchant. California Monthly, 112(6).
“We need to change the way we think about the ecological crisis before we can solve it.”
Carolyn Merchant has been involved in ecology dialogues since her first book The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution was published in 1980. Her influences range from Rachel Carson’s classic, Silent Spring, to feminist critiques and the history of science and philosophy, which she has taught for many years at the University of California at Berkeley.
Before the Scientific Revolution, Nature was seen as Feminine and the earth was alive, a Mother, a living organism. After the Scientific Revolution this changed. The Death of Nature meant matter was dead, subject only to mechanical forces and laws, without spirit. This resulted in a change in the ethical stance toward nature. “The mechanistic worldview, which has become the dominant view of industrial capitalism – in a sense the ideology of capitalism – is a framework that gives permission to exploit and dominate nature”. Merchant (2002)
Technological progress has had many positive outcomes, particularly for the developed world, and the powerful corporate elites. The cost of the lavish lifestyle of these elites was paid by the poor, labourers, children and women of the lower classes and ethic minorities. Merchant suggests a ‘new narrative’ is needed to face the chief problem of the 21st Century – the ‘global ecological crisis’. The old narrative of unending scientific and technological progress that had its origins during the Scientific Revolution has failed to remake the world into the new vision of the Garden of Eden. Feminist critiques of the patriarchy and capitalist culture, and those of the environmental movement, have given rise to new, different ‘counter-narratives’ that tie into the conservation movement that gained momentum in the 20th century.
She suggests new meta-narrative, a new story of recovery is now being developed that must guide some rapid, needed change. With regard to complex, open systems like nature, chaos and complexity theory suggest “that we can no longer assume that we can predict, therefore control, and therefore dominate, nature.” So we need to look at being ‘partners’ with nature instead. The social changes required must focus on basic human needs – housing, shelter, food, healthcare – in conjunction with a sustainable economy.
This new narrative will shape our lives and help people move beyond the ethic of the domination of nature and continued depletion of resources. How does she see this happening? A ‘partnership ethic’ that sees men and women working together with the earth toward the social reconstruction that is needed. Inclusive of all human groups, people will need to experiment and try new solutions. It will be a new story of a “sustainable partnership” between nature and human beings. She is optimistic:
“A partnership ethic offers the possibility of a healthier, more aesthetically pleasing cultural and natural environment for our own and future generations.”
More information is available in several videos and websites. After considering all the activities in this site, visit the Focus questions in Vista to relate your understanding to our educational context:
FOCUS QUESTION 1. What is the role of educational technology in realizing a “Partnership Ethic” as described by Carolyn Merchant?
Check out Carolyn Merchant’s Web site at UC Berkeley with a brief biography and her many research interests. Below is an edited version of a one hour video lecture by Carolyn Merchant at the UC Berkeley in 2010.
Carolyn Merchant: Environmentalism: From the Control of Nature to Partnership (59 min) Lecture at UC Berkeley (2010) Eco-feminist philosopher and UC Berkeley Professor Carolyn Merchant discusses how the partnership ethic entails a viable, sustainable relationship in which connections to the global world are recognized through science, technology, and ecological exchanges.