Throughout John Dryzek’s book, he explains discourse in terms of environmental science and its connection to policies, society, and the economy. He defines discourse as “a shared way of apprehending the world” and adds that discourses contain “representations and systems of meaning” (9). To understand a discourse means that you are able to build a story about a particular issue by drawing the pieces of information available. Environmental discourse is then the conversation or debate on the socio-economic and ecological relationships that effect both humans and the planet. Dryzek explains four categories of environmental discourse throughout his work: Limits and survival (radical and prosaic view), environmental problem solving (reformist and
…show more content…
They look at humans as a progressive society. So much so that when faced with issues of environmental degradation and limits to growth, they will prevail through technological advancements, development, and an overall improvement of societal capacity. Examples of individuals who share promethean views are Julian Simon and Harold Barnett. A promethean view idolizes the market as a key institution in environmental problem solving. By relying of the variation in prices in resources that face scarcity, environmental affairs will work themselves out. There will always be some way to draw more resources, or make more food, or inhabit more people as long as the progressive minds of humans are utilized and the market reacts. To a promethean, there is no limitation to nature, and as Dryzek explains, “natural resources, ecosystems, and indeed nature itself, do not exist” (59). To add to this point, Simon explains that natural resources are not really natural at all, because before humans utilized them for energy, they were just matter. Therefore, an argument is built that resources were non-existent until civilizations went out and found these sources of energy. So with that being said, there is no reason to think humans will not be able to continue to find sources of energy, or “natural resources”, indefinitely and infinitely according to Prometheans. Prometheans look at humans as creatures of adaption and progression, which lead them to look at society as an exception to the natural limits of the world, and frankly lead them to dismiss the limits in
They look at humans as a progressive society. So much so that when faced with issues of environmental degradation and limits to growth, they will prevail through technological advancements, development, and an overall improvement of societal capacity. Examples of individuals who share promethean views are Julian Simon and Harold Barnett. A promethean view idolizes the market as a key institution in environmental problem solving. By relying of the variation in prices in resources that face scarcity, environmental affairs will work themselves out. There will always be some way to draw more resources, or make more food, or inhabit more people as long as the progressive minds of humans are utilized and the market reacts. To a promethean, there is no limitation to nature, and as Dryzek explains, “natural resources, ecosystems, and indeed nature itself, do not exist” (59). To add to this point, Simon explains that natural resources are not really natural at all, because before humans utilized them for energy, they were just matter. Therefore, an argument is built that resources were non-existent until civilizations went out and found these sources of energy. So with that being said, there is no reason to think humans will not be able to continue to find sources of energy, or “natural resources”, indefinitely and infinitely according to Prometheans. Prometheans look at humans as creatures of adaption and progression, which lead them to look at society as an exception to the natural limits of the world, and frankly lead them to dismiss the limits in