ePub In a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature download

by Alston Chase

Author:

Alston Chase

ISBN13:

978-0765807526

ISBN:

0765807521

Language:

English

Publisher:

Transaction Publishers (May 11, 2001)

Category:

Science

Subcategory:

Biological Sciences

ePub file:

1252 kb

Fb2 file:

1340 kb

Other formats:

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Rating:

4.5

Votes:

767

Alston Chase Biological Sciences English

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Richard M. Weaver With his book, In a Dark Wood, Alston Chase has written a story about the ecological struggle over the forests, but in doing so he has also developed the history of an idea.

Richard M. It is a tale without heroes or villains, in which the bad guy isn't a person at a "Ideas have consequences.

Alston Chase has written widely on natural history, the environment, and animal welfare. He is the author of Playing God in Yellowstone, In a Dark Wood, and Harvard and the Unabomber. Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views - such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" - in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views.

In a Dark Wood presents a history of debates among ecologists over what constitutes good forestry, and a critique of the ecological reasoning behind contemporary. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to understand the Environmental left and their deceitful tactics and general disregard for science. The book also walks you through the debacle that is the Endangered Species Act. It is very well written and very well cited.

In a Dark Wood presents a history of debates among ecologists over what . In his new introduction, Chase evaluates the response to his book and reports on recent developments in environmental science, policy, and politics.

In a Dark Wood presents a history of debates among ecologists over what constitutes good forestry, and a critique of the ecological reasoning behind contemporary strategies of preservation, including the Endangered Species Ac. And it challenges the fundamental-but largely ns of preservationism, such as those concerning whether there is a "balance of nature," whether all branches of ecology are really science, and whether ecosystems exist.

Environmental bad boy Chase (Playing God in Yellowstone, 1986, et. takes on biocentrism and the Endangered Species Act in this delightfully angry if at times snide volume.

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The book came under criticism by scientists noting that Lomborg misinterpreted or misrepresented data, criticized misuse of. .In a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature. Transaction Pub. ISBN 978-0-7658-0752-6.

The book came under criticism by scientists noting that Lomborg misinterpreted or misrepresented data, criticized misuse of data while committing similar mistakes himself, examined issues supporting his thesis while ignoring information contrary to it, cherry picks literature, oversimplifies, fails to discuss uncertainty or subjectivity, cites mostly media sources, and largely ignores ecology.

In a Dark Wood: The Fight over Forests and the Rising Tyranny of Ecology. Marsh, George Perkins. Man and Nature or Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action, ed. David Lowenthal. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1965. Collison, Frank, et al. Yakoun: River of Life. Connell, Evan S. Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Bighorn. San Francisco, California, 1984. Dalzell, Kathleen E. The Queen Charlotte Islands, 1774–1966. The Queen Charlotte Islands, Book 2: Of Places and Names. Davis, Chuck, ed. The Greater Vancouver Book: An Urban Encyclopaedia.

In a Dark Wood presents a history of debates among ecologists over what constitutes good forestry, and a critique of the ecological reasoning behind contemporary strategies of preservation, including the Endangered Species Act. Chase argues that these strategies, in many instances adopted for political, rather than scientific reasons, fail to promote biological diversity and may actually harm more creatures than they help. At the same time, Chase offers examples of conservation strategies that work, but which are deemed politically incorrect and ignored.

In a Dark Wood provides the most thoughtful and complete account yet written of radical environmentalism. And it challenges the fundamental—but largely unexamined—assumptions of preservationism, such as those concerning whether there is a "balance of nature," whether all branches of ecology are really science, and whether ecosystems exist. In his new introduction, Chase evaluates the response to his book and reports on recent developments in environmental science, policy, and politics.

In a Dark Wood was judged by a recent national poll to be one of the one hundred best nonfiction books written in the English language during the twentieth century. A smashing good read, this book will be of interest to environmentalists, ecologists, philosophers, biologists, and bio-ethicists, and anyone concerned about ecological issues.

Hulis

This book should be required reading in schools across the country. From Middle School through College.

There are few books that can change the way that you view the world, but this one surely did for me. Coming into this book, I had very conventional views on Environmentalism and humanity's place in the world. After reading this detailed history of the environmental movement, and the history of the ideas behind it, you can't help but realize how wrong you were.

That's not to say that the public discourse against environmentalism that comes from a conservative viewpoint is correct, but rather is equally wrong. This book skewers both sides of the public discourse on the subject. Rather, it takes a stand based upon evidence and rational thought, which is what has been missing from the public debate.

However, at heart this book is apolitical, and refreshingly free of opinion. It doesn't preach easy answers, and despite claims otherwise, it doesn't lean right or left in the political spectrum. This book eschews that, and simply steps back to examine human history and the history of our ideas about nature. The conclusions that it draws, (or rather, that it asks YOU to draw), are all based on solid evidence easily found in other sources. The truly remarkable thing about this book though is how it deals with the history of IDEAS. A subject of study that is little discussed in the mainstream, but which has much to teach.

I can't recommend this book enough. I think everyone will find something useful within this book, and I can't believe that it is isn't more widely regarded. This book will change your life.

Wyameluna

Chase has written an extremely biased account of events in the early history of environmentalism. He has created a very humanistic image of loggers as heroes and environmentalists as either evil, stupid, druggies, and/or hippies. Chase also contradicts himself when he presents the environmentalists as soft easterners, and yet they are able to manage themselves in wilderness and hike up to fifty miles laden with heavy loads of gear, survive on a plywood platform top of an old growth tree, and being willing to risk their lives for something they believe in.
Chase also lays out an argument that environmentalists are Nazis, which he coyly walks back before he demurred to the possibility that they might be like Nazis.
The events in the book took place at a critical time in the history of environmentalism. While this book focuses on the logging industry in the northwest, air and water pollution were becoming serious problems in the east (air pollution was also a problem in LA, with devastating smog incidents). If you expand the scope, the east is the "after" picture, with rivers setting on fire from toxic waste and other hazards becoming more of a problem every day. The west, with its stands of trees was the "before" picture, and many thought that was worth saving or at the very least putting the resource extraction on hold until the impact was better assessed.
Environmental science was in its infancy then. It was evolving and developing as scientists gradually created more sophisticated modeling and sampling which allowed for the collection and assessment of more accurate data to create more sophisticated assumptions. As I read the book, I kept waiting for chaos theory to be mentioned, and I was shocked when it was used as an argument against environmental science, when in fact chaos theory is regarded as providing enough of a statistical sample over time to accommodate the numerous small changes that occur in large scale change. The book is filled with contradictions like this.
Chase has employed rhetorical dishonesty and numerous logical fallacies in presenting his "argument." He cherry-picks evidence, uses emotional language, faulty distribution, evasion of the truth, distraction, speculation, appeal to prejudice, faulty assumptions, and ad hominem attacks. This is a deeply flawed argument in a badly written book. I wish I could give it negative stars but sadly, that is not possible.

I am horrified that I had to purchase this for an Environmental Liberal Arts class which was advertised as using “exemplary writings.” I was naïve in assuming that meant “good,” when instead it was the second definition “an example” and a bad one at that.

Frei

A very educational book. I always suspected the eco-freak wackos & even some of the so-called scientists were not following true scientific principles.

Cheber

A very well researched and well written account of the "Old Growth Forest" controversy. I strongly encourage students of enviromentalism to read it. It clearly lays out some of the seminal disagreements of forest management that stil plague our forests today.

Cordantrius

Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views -- such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" -- in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views. Alston Chase's thinking on conservation is so clearly presented, so well backed by evidence, so carefully analysed, and so full of good will and integrity, that I find it impossible to read his book without respecting his intentions -- and his conclusions, which challenge everything I had unthinkingly assumed in the past. This is the kind of book that not only addresses concrete problems, such as the political struggle between, say Earth First and Maxxam Corporation, but also inspires the reader to think more deeply, and question his/her assumptions. This is the kind of book I think most self-labeled "environmentalists" -- especially those who come from white, middle class, college-educated backgrounds -- will dismiss prior to investigation, and will never read. If so, it is a sad loss. It's a book that can change your views and help you learn to think better -- and I believe most people would rather not do so, since thinking better might well spoil the dramatic excitement of waging a war of good against evil, nature against humanity. Still, I hope people will read this book. It's one that changed my life.

Kazimi

I was not expecting such a thoughtful and open-minded look at the fight for old growth forests. I had always wondered why deep ecologists were willing to suspend critical thinking and accept the gaia world view. Chase explains that right at the beginning of the book. In other words he uses critical thinking, something not well taught today.

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