Social theory, climate change, and the humanity–nature relation

Abstract

Antonio cites J. K. Galbraith (among others) as having criticized a view central to mainstream economics, namely, that “human nature dictates an unlimited ‘urgency of wants,’ naturalizing ever increasing production and consumption and precluding the distinction of goods required to meet basic needs from those that stoke wasteful, destructive appetites.” In citing Galbraith, Antonio evidently has some sympathy for the former's viewpoint, which I now examine.

Citation

Zimmerman, M.E. (2009), "Social theory, climate change, and the humanity–nature relation", Dahms, H.F. (Ed.) Nature, Knowledge and Negation (Current Perspectives in Social Theory, Vol. 26), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 75-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0278-1204(2009)0000026005