A Concise History of Eco-philosophy

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The year 1974 marks the inception of Eco-Philosophy. In the text, which was delivered in ten minutes (during a debate at a School of Architecture in London), all the major ideas of Eco-philosophy were proposed. At this time I use the term Ecological Humanism to designate the future Eco-philosophy.

In 1977, I publish a sizeable monograph, in which I still use the term Ecological Humanism. The ideas of the 1974 statement are here articulated.

From 1978, I use the term Eco-philosophy as a distinctive form of philosophy, and especially to contrast it with contemporary Western philosophy.

In 1981, I publish the book, Eco-philosophy, Designing New Tactics for Living, which outlines the new field, and which has become a classic; subsequently translated into several languages.

In the years 1980-83, four annual conferences on Eco-philosophy were organized at Dartington Hall, Devon, U.K.

In 1983, the book Technology and Human Destiny was published, critiquing Technology from the standpoint of Eco-philosophy.

In 1984, the First International Conference on Eco-theology was organized at Dartington Hall, Devon; and in 1985 the monograph Eco-theology was published.

In 1992, the book Living Philosophy, Eco-philosophy as a Tree of Life was published; this book is the expansion and articulation of the 1981 book.

In 1993, the book A Sacred Place to Dwell was published; this book is the expansion of the 1985 monograph.

In 1994 the book The Participatory Mind was published. This book signified the creation and articulation of the new field, which could be called eco-mind.

In 1994, the book EcoYoga was published. This book signified the creation and articulation of a new field of enquiry and practice; translated into several languages.

In 1999, the book Dharma, Ecology and Wisdom was published in India. This book signified an extension of Eco-philosophy into Eco-Dharma, Eco-Karma and Eco-yoga.

In 2001, the book Around Eco-philosophy was published (in Polish), being a Festschrift in Honor of Henryk Skolimowski, in which 34 scholars and philosophers have articulated Eco-philosophy, in various directions, which amounts to the creation of the field of Polish Eco-philosophy. One essay was published in English, by Prof. Vir Singh, under the title: “Eco-philosophy Seen From the Himalayas.” This essay is reproduced in another place of this Web Page.