Mary Midgeley and the Concept of Gaia
British philosopher Mary Midgley has addressed issues related to science, religion, and ethics; all of which she touches upon in her article, Individualism and the Concept of Gaia. Her publications include several books and articles, including Beast And Man: The Roots of Human Nature (1978; revised edition 1995), Animals And Why They Matter (1983), and The Ethical Primate: Humans, Freedom and Morality (1994). Midgley writes in opposition to reductionisms and dichotomies, and instead espouses a holistic perspective. In Individualism and the Concept of Gaia, Midgley outlines the concept, "Gaia," as theoretically and practically useful. Midgley details why scientists, religious groups, and the general public have been resistant to the Gaia concept – tracing this resistance back to the dualisms promulgated by Descartes. She subsequently points to the increased subscription to the ideology of individualism as posing a particularly pernicious barrier to appreciating our connectedness to each other and the Earth. In contrast to Regan’s position that individual animals possess moral rights, Midgley contends that thinking of contractual relationships and individual rights is inadequate for dealing with animals and the environment. She instead proposes focusing on our duties to wholes. Midgeley's work reminds us that humans and other animals are earth-bound and dependent, and that the moral consideration of one group might benefit in important ways from a consideration of the greater whole.
Further Reading
- Donovan, Josephine. 1990. “Animal Rights and Feminist Theory.” Signs 15(2): 350-375.
- Lovelock, James 1979/2000. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford University Press.
- Midgley, Mary. 1978. Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
- Midgley, Mary. 1983. Animals and Why They Matter. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
- Midgley, Mary. 1994. The Ethical Primate: Humans, Freedom and Morality. Routledge.
- Midgley, Mary. 2000. “Individualism and the concept of Gaia.” Review of International Studies 26: 29-44.
- Midgley, Mary. 2001. Gaia: The Next Big Idea. London: Demos.
