Thinking like a mountain: Aldo Leopold’s (1887-1948) reading of the landscape

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2178-6224v17i2p141-159

Keywords:

Conservation aesthetics, Land ethics, Landscape reading, Biodiversity conservation, Environmental Sciences

Abstract

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) was a professor and researcher who contributed to the field of wildlife ecology and distinguished himself in 20th-century North American environmentalism. This article aims to discuss the philosophical perspective on biodiversity conservation adopted by Aldo Leopold based on an analysis of excerpts from his latest work, A sand county almanac and sketches here and there (1949). The book presents a series of essays based on an ecological approach to the relationship between human beings and nature, departing from his years of experience on the family farm. The first two parts of the book contain essays from the landscape reading, adopting the perspective of biotic and abiotic elements of the environment, as well as reflections from his professional experience. The third part of the work brings philosophical thoughts about the aesthetics of conservation and ethics of the Earth, promoting a re-interpretation of human identity and the relationship with the Earth.

Author Biographies

  • Gabriela Cristina Sganzerla Iglesias, Universidade de São Paulo

    Professora de ciências e biologia e pesquisadora colaboradora no Laboratório de Epistemologia e Didática da Biologia (Ledib-FFCLRP/USP)

  • Fernanda da Rocha Brando, Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto

    Professora associada junto ao Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto da USP. Coordenadora  do Laboratório de Epistemologia e Didática da Biologia. Pesquisadora colaboradora do Grupo de Pesquisa em Epistemologia da Biologia (GPEB-UNESP) e do Grupo de História e Teoria da Biologia (GHTB-USP).

References

CALLICOT, Baird. Leopold’s land aesthetic. Pp. 105-118, in: CARLSON, Allen; LINTOTT, Sheila (Eds.), Nature aesthetics and environmentalism: From beauty to duty. New York: Columbia Press University, 2008.

FLADER, Susan. Thinking like a mountain: Aldo Leopold and the evolution of an ecological attitude towards deers, wolves and forests. Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1974.

FLANNERY, Maura. The conservation aesthetic and the micro-scopic aesthetic. Bioscience 49 (10): 801-808, 1999. DOI: 10.2307/1313571

IGLESIAS, Gabriela Cristina Sganzerla. O admirar, o julgar, o agir e o apreender no ensino de ciências. Ribeirão Preto, 2021. Tese de Doutorado – Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo. DOI: 10.11606/T.59.2022.tde-06052022-083235

LEOPOLD, Aldo. Game management. New York: Macmillan Pub. Co., 1933.

LEOPOLD, Aldo. A sand county almanac and sketches here and there. New York: Oxford University Press, 1949.

LEOPOLD, Aldo. Pensar como uma montanha [1949]. Águas Santas: Sempre-em-Pé, 2008.

LORBIECKI, Marybeth. A fierce green fire: Aldo Leopold’s life and legacy. Montana: Falcon Press, 1996.

MARQUES, José Carlos Costa. Apresentação do editor português: O dia em que vi morrer um lobo. Pp. 13-16, in: Leopold, Aldo. Pensar como uma montanha. Águas Santas: Sempre-em-Pé, 2008.

NELSON, Michael Paul. Aldo Leopold, environmental ethics, and the land ethic. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 26: 741-744, 1998. Disponível em: <https://www.jstor.org/stable/3783545>. Acesso em: 7/9/2021.

SOROMENHO-MARQUES, Viriato. Introdução. Pp. 9-10 in: LEOPOLD, Aldo. Pensar como uma montanha. Águas Santas: Sem-pre-em-Pé, 2008.

THE ALDO LEOPOLD FOUNDATION. Leopold Education Project (LEP): Interdisciplinary Land ethic curriculum. Wisconsin: Baraboo, 2016.

THE ALDO LEOPOLD FOUNDATION. Aldo Leopold, 2021. The Leopold Archives. Disponível em: <https://www.aldoleopold.org/about/the-leopold-archives/>. Acesso em: 7/9/ 2021.

VARANDAS, Maria José. Fundamentos da ética da Terra. in: Beckert, Cistina. Éticas e políticas ambientais. Lisboa: Centro de Filoso-fia da Universidade de Lisboa, 2004.

Published

2022-12-30

Issue

Section

Papers

How to Cite

Thinking like a mountain: Aldo Leopold’s (1887-1948) reading of the landscape . Filosofia e História da Biologia , [S. l.], v. 17, n. 2, p. 141–159, 2022. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2178-6224v17i2p141-159. Disponível em: https://periodicos.usp.br/fhb/article/view/fhb-v17-n2-01.. Acesso em: 29 jun. 2024.