Carolyn Merchant is an environmental historian and her book

Reinventing Eden is in first turn aims to make people think about the modern ecological situation. She proposes ways to overcome the ecological crisis and presents her conception of Eden on the Earth. There are a few theories about the existence of Eden and possibilities to recover it.
Merchant gives her reasons why the myths of “lost Eden” led to the modern state of nature, degradation of our planet and people’s destructive attitude to the treasures of the earth. People started manipulating the environment and natural resources in the name of the so-called “Eden search”. Some centuries ago New World was considered to be Eden. “In the project of the transforming the New World into an Eden, first the Eastern forests were converted into the garden farms and later the Western deserts were irrigated to form fertile fields and pastures. Indians had burned the forest in order to plant corn, beans, and squash; for ease of passage; and to produce browse that attracted deer” (Merchant, 96). In this scenario people tried to conquer nature not taking into account its strength, complexity and chaotic character. People tried to create an artificial world neglecting natural laws. Nature has a set of rules every man should follow. Otherwise, the reaction of nature is unpredictable and numerous natural disasters are the best evidence of this fact.

Carolyn Merchant in her Reinventing Eden proposes a new partnership ethic which is based on the equal relations with nature. Merchant suggests her own scenario in which relations between men, women and nature are based on cooperation. In this scenario both, nature and people’s needs are taken into account. “The idea of a balance of nature that humans could disrupt implied that people could repair damaged ecosystems with better practices. The idea that biodiversity led ecosystem stability meant that species conservation and ecologic restoration could improve ecosystem health” (Merchant, 116). The motto of Merchant’s book is to live in peace with nature in order to preserve this earth for future generations.

From the first sight this scenario may seem inappropriate and even impossible in our world taking into account the dual nature of the human nature. On the one hand, people tend to progressive inventions and discoveries, they fight for democracy and equality, create numerous ecological projects in order to save nature, they are creative, active and self-determined. However, on the other hand, in the civilization there is a tendency to oppression or other nations and power over the nature, people in their souls are selfish, egocentric, miserable and weak. The second, the so-called “dark”, side of human nature makes people lead a consumer way of life, destroy nature instead of being partners with it.

Nevertheless, there is a hope that Carolyn Merchant’s scenario can work: people have become wiser, more careful and more circumspect. They start thinking about consequences this consumer way of life can have, and these consequences are already seen: spoilt rivers, seas and oceans, burnt forests and great amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere lead to the artificial greenhouse effect and the global warming, as a result. Poor ecology in big cities has resulted in the decline of the average expectancy of life for both, men and women. Careless attitude to nature has caused distinction of the rarest species of birds, animals and fish which used to be of great value for the mankind. What is more significant, bad jokes with nature can even endanger people’s lives: a number of earthquakes and hurricanes became the result of the human activity. These are only a few examples of the tragedies caused by the people’s attempt to dominate the nature.

People should change their attitude to animals and nature, otherwise the consequences of such behavior will be dreadful. Nowadays people do not live in harmony with nature, they do not follow natural laws and the first signals of it are numerous natural disasters which take lives of thousands of people. It is high time people stopped leading a consuming way of life. It is necessary to live in peace with nature.

Humans are the only species that has intellect and memory about the past. These peculiarities can help people to realize their mistakes in the past and avoid them in the future. Humans are able to control their emotions and feelings and follow not only their selfish inner impulses and pushes but also think about future generations and save all the natural heritage for their children and grandchildren. This instinct and rational thinking are main reasons which would help make Merchant’s partnership ethic come true. Despite the fact that nowadays only separate individuals are aware of natural laws and make a conscious choice not to do any harm to nature, the number of such people is increasing everyday. Carolyn Merchant’s book Reinventing Eden: The Fate of Nature in Western Culture is one more proof of the fact that people contribute to the environment and think about global problems.

Works Cited

Merchant, Carolyn. Reinventing Eden: The Fate of Nature in Western Culture, Routledge, New York, 2003.

Custom essay writing service Essay-911.com.