Ability Quote by Val Plumwood
“To the extent that we hyper-separate ourselves from nature and reduce it conceptually in order to justify domination, we not only lose the ability to empathise and to see the non-human sphere in ethical terms, but also get a false sense of our own character and location that includes an illusory sense of autonomy. The failure to see the non-human domain in the richer terms appropriate to ethics licences supposedly ‘purely instrumental’ relationships that distort our perceptions and enframings, impoverish our relations and make us insensitive to dependencies and interconnections”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Environmental Crisis and the Ethics of Nature,” 1990
Separating humanity from nature leads to domination, loss of empathy, and a false sense of autonomy, resulting in instrumental, harmful relationships with the non‑human world.
In simple terms: Seeing nature as separate harms ethics and empathy.
Key Takeaway
Recognise interdependence with nature.
Themes
environment
ethics
human‑nature relations
philosophy
ecology
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
environmental
When to use this quote
- environmental education
- policy making
- urban planning
- personal lifestyle choices
Key Concepts
anthropocentrism
instrumentalism
ethical relationality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to view nature as a partner rather than a resource?
- How can societies balance development with ecological humility?
A Different Perspective
Human needs may conflict with ecological limits.
