Bryan E. Bannon - From Mastery to Mystery: A Phenomenological Foundation for an Environmental Ethic

From Mastery to Mystery

Editorial Board

Ted Toadvine, Chairman, University of Oregon

Elizabeth A. Behnke, Study Project in Phenomenology of the Body

David Carr, Emory University

James Dodd, New School University

Lester Embree, Florida Atlantic University

Jos Huertas-Jourda, Wilfrid Laurier University

Joseph J. Kockelmans, Pennsylvania State University

William R. McKenna, Miami University

Algis Mickunas, Ohio University

J. N. Mohanty, Temple University

Dermot Moran, University College Dublin

Thomas Nenon, University of Memphis

Rosemary Rizo-Patron de Lerner, Pontificia Universidad Catlica del Per, Lima

Thomas M. Seebohm, Johannes Gutenberg Universitt, Mainz

Gail Soffer, Rome, Italy

Elizabeth Strker, Universitt Kln

Nicolas de Warren, Wellesley College

Richard M. Zaner, Vanderbilt University

International Advisory Board

Suzanne Bachelard, Universit de Paris

Rudolf Boehm, Rijksuniversiteit Gent

Albert Borgmann, University of Montana

Amedeo Giorgi, Saybrook Institute

Richard Grathoff, Universitt Bielefeld

Samuel Ijsseling, Husserl-Archief te Leuven

Alphonso Lingis, Pennsylvania State University

Werner Marx, Albert-Ludwigs Universitt, Freiburg

David Rasmussen, Boston College

John Sallis, Boston College

John Scanlon, Duquesne University

Hugh J. Silverman, State University of New York, Stony Brook

Carlo Sini, Universit di Milano

Jacques Taminiaux, Louvain-la-Neuve

D. Lawrence Wieder

Dallas Willard, University of Southern California

From Mastery to Mystery

...................................

A Phenomenological Foundation
for an Environmental Ethic

BRYAN E. BANNON

OHIO UNIVERSITY PRESS ATHENS

Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio 45701

ohioswallow.com

2014 by Ohio University Press

All rights reserved

To obtain permission to quote, reprint, or otherwise reproduce or distribute material from Ohio University Press publications, please contact our rights and permissions department at (740) 593-1154 or (740) 593-4536 (fax).

Printed in the United States of America Ohio University Press books are printed on acid-free paper.

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bannon, Bryan E., [date]

From mastery to mystery : a phenomenological foundation for an environmental ethic / Bryan E. Bannon.

pages cm. (Series in Continental thought ; No. 46)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8214-2063-8 (hc : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8214-2064-5 (pb : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8214-4469-6 (pdf)

1. Philosophy of nature. 2. Naturalness (Environmental sciences) 3. EcologyPhilosophy. 4. Phenomenology. 5. Environmental ethics. I. Title.

BD581.B353 2014

113dc23

2013038523

For Mr. James D. Poisson, whose spirit continues to inspire.

...................................

...................................

Expressing ones gratitude to all the individuals who have contributed in some capacity to the completion of any project of this length is a somewhat daunting task. Rather than open the usual Pandoras box of acknowledgment that accompanies the production of a book, I would like to recognize as a group all those who have discussed this project with me throughout its construction. I would, however, also like to single out a few people whose friendship and conversation about various aspects of the project have helped attune my thinking in various ways. I have in mind here David Gougelet, Lisa Guenther, Don Landes, Scott Marratto, David Morris, Alexandra Morrison, Jim Ridolfo, and John Russon.

I would also like to recognize those whose advice, intellectual generosity, and direction shaped the manuscript into its current form: Mary Beth Mader and Robert Bernasconi. Mary Beth deserves special recognition for her suggestion of what I consider to be such a lovely title for the book. Additionally, boundless gratitude is owed to Leonard Lawlor, for both his detailed analysis of a previous incarnation of the manuscript and his enduring support of me as a philosopher. Lens friendship and insights have been invaluable to my continuing to write and think philosophically.

Speaking of friendship leads me to recognize Galen Johnson and Cheryl Foster as well, both of whom taught me as an undergraduate what it is to live philosophically. My ongoing conversation with Galen, aspects of which appear in the following pages, is one of the great pleasures I have had in becoming a professional philosopher.

I also want to thank the various individuals with Ohio University Press for their assistance in bringing the book to print. Ted Toadvine, especially, for encouraging its submission and guiding me through that process; one of the anonymous reviewers whose especially insightful comments significantly improved both my line of thinking and my presentation; and Kevin Howarth, Beth Pratt, Sarah Welsch, Charles Sutherland, and (especially) Deborah Wiseman for aiding in various parts of the production process. I very much appreciate the time and effort taken by all.

Most importantly, I would like to thank Erinn Gilson for her love, support, and tolerance of my rambling on about the history of being. This book would not be were it not for her caring and generous sharing of herself.

...................................

In all applicable cases within the text, the original language citation will precede the citation of the translation. Also, due to complications involved in marshaling the technical vocabulary of philosophers in three different languages, I have frequently and without noting the fact altered the standard translations so as to clarify the interconnections between the texts and the dialogue between thinkers. I assume responsibility for any inaccuracies or uncomfortable phrasings that result from this practice.

Works by Martin Heidegger: