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Can humans flourish without destroying the earth? In this book, experts on many of the world's major and minor religious traditions address the question of human and earth flourishing. Each chapter considers specific religious ideas and specific environmental harms. Chapters are paired and the authors work in dialogue with one another. Taken together, the chapters reveal that the question of flourishing is deceptively simple. Most would agree that humans should flourish without destroying the earth. But not all humans have equal opportunities to flourish. Additionally, on a basic physical level any human flourishing must, of necessity, cause some harm. These considerations of the price and distribution of flourishing raise unique questions about the status of humans and nature. This book represents a step toward reconciliation: that people and their ecosystems may live in peace, that people from different religious worldviews may engage in productive dialogue; in short, that all may flourish.
This book investigates the complex intersection of human flourishing and environmental sustainability through the lens of diverse global religious traditions. Laura M. Hartman, an associate professor of environmental studies, curates a collection of essays where scholars examine how various faiths define the balance between human prosperity and ecological health. The text argues that the concept of flourishing is inherently fraught with ethical dilemmas regarding resource distribution and the unavoidable environmental costs of human existence.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and students of religious studies frequently cite this work as a valuable resource for understanding the diversity of ethical responses to climate change. Experts highlight the book's unique dialogical structure as a model for productive interfaith engagement on complex global issues.
Page Count:
328
Publication Date:
2018-06-29
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190456035
ISBN-13:
9780190456030
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