WOMEN 19th Amendme,nt, 1920 ~ Emancipation Procl., 1863 ~ Deel. of lndepen. 1776 ENGLISHMEN Magna Carta, 1215 philosophers, and environmentalists to share approaches to resolving ecological problems. The directors of the institute, who are professors at Moravian College, believe that, in an age when_human choices will determine the fate of the planet, "the great cosmological questions-which in our age are ecological questions-again become crucial for the wise ordering of social and individual existence." -FLS Deep Ecology, edited by Michael Tobias, 1984, 296 pp., $12.95 from: Avant Books 3719 Sixth Avenu.e San Diego, CA 92103 "Deep Ecology concerns those personal moods, values, aesthetic.and philosophical convictions which serve no necessarily utilitarian, nor rational end. By definition their sole justification rests upon the goodness, balance, truth, and ~eauty' of the natural world, and of a human being's biological and psychological need to be fully integrated within it." So says Michael Tobias in the introduction to this book, an anthology of mostly original essays by a variety of writers, including Arne Naess, George Sessions, Murray Bookchin, Paul Shepard, Herman Daly, Garrett Hardin, and Dolores Lachapelle. Complementing the essays are poems and other intuitive explorations and ecological sacredness, beauty, and mystery. A fine collection of material for deepening one's ecological sensibilities. -FLS Earth First! The Radical Environmental Journal, published eight times yearly, $10/year, from: PO Box235 Ely, NV 89301 "No compromise in defense of Mother January/February'1985 RAlN Page 23 The expanding American conception of rights (FROM: Deep Ecology) Earth!" This·is the rallying cry of Earth First!, a movement of radical environmentalists committed to putting ecophilosophy into action. The movement is most . strongly rooted in the western states, but has affiliates throughout the country. Earth First! has n.o official membership nor national office, as it eschews centralized organizational structure in.favor of a · networking approach. The people in the Earth First! movement are linked together by adherence to the principles of deep ecology and commitment to direct action · and civil disobedience 'to defend those principles. The newspaper, Earth First!, includes reports from groups nationwide and ruminations on ecological philosophy. Actions in the last year include participation in the Middle Santiam blockades (see the Northwest reports in RAIN X:6 and XI:1) and a nationwide . 'protest against Burger King for importing beef from newly cleared rainforests in Central America. -FLS Shifting Paradigms: From Technocrat to Planetary Person, by Alan Drengson, 1983, 168 pp., $7.95·(US), $8.95 (Canadian), plus 75c for postage and handling, from: Lightstar Press 1138 Richardson Street Victoria, B.C. V8V 3C8 CANADA This book describes and contrasts two philosophical paradigms and the implications of each for technological design, sense of self, and behavior toward nature. The technocratic paradigm is anthropocentric and utilitarian-it allows for environmental concern, but only insofar as environmental preservation is necessary for the continuation of business as usual. The "pernetarian" (combines person and planet) paradigm values the total ecology of life for its owrt sake, and seeks harmony with, rather than control over, natural processes. Many of the insights are familiar, but the emphasis here is on framing them in_a manner consistent with formal philosophy. The book is also metaphilosophical in the sense that it inquires into the manner in which paradigm shifts occur, and discusses the art of self-consciously creating one's own philosophical system. Although not intended strictly for professional philosophers and other academics, Sh ifting Paradigms wiU be appreciated most by those who enjoy abstract and intellectual inquiries into the nature of their world. -FLS .The Trumpeter: Voices from the Canadian Ecophilosophy Network, quarterly, $4 (Canadian)/year, from: Lightstar Press 1138 Richardson Street Victoria, B.C. V8V 3C8 CANADA For the last year and a half, Alan Drengson (author of Shifting Paradigms, listed above) has been publishing Trum- . peter in an attempt to "promote exchange of information and discussion on the (interdisciplinary) philosophical dimensions of environmental issu~s, policy, and debate." So far, the format of each , issue has consi~ted of one long essay and a few short items such as book reviews. rhe text is somewhat academic in tone without being arcane. -FLS The Eleventh Commandment Fellowship · PO Box14727 San Francisco, CA 94114 "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; thou shall not despoil the earth nor destroy the life thereon." This is the Eleventh Commandment as formulated by Vincent Rossi in an article published in 1979 called "The Eleventh Commandment: Toward an Ethic of Ecology." (Reprints of this article are available for $1 each from the above address.) The Eleventh Commandment Fellowship was formed in response to the call set forth in the article. The Fellowship seeks to educate people about the dangers inherent in today's ecological crisis, and to develop a response to this crisis that is firmly rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. For those who associate Christian environmental ethics with the policies of James Watt, ECF's work will be a pleasant surprise. An introductory brochure and placement on the mailing list for the Eleventh Commandment Newsletter are available for free upon request. Donations, of course, are also welcomed. -FLS
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