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A Philosophy of Gardens
Why do gardens matter so much and mean so much to people? That is the intriguing question to which David Cooper seeks an answer in this book. Given the enthusiasm for gardens in human civilization ancient and modern, Eastern and Western, it is surprising that the question has been so long neglected by modern philosophy. Now at last there is a philosophy of gardens. David Cooper identifies garden appreciation as a special human phenomenon distinct from both from the appreciation of art and the appreciation of nature. He discusses the contribution of gardening and other garden-related pursuits to "the good life." And he distinguishes the many kinds of meanings that gardens may have, from their representation of nature to their spiritual significance. A Philosophy of Gardens will open up this subject to students and scholars of aesthetics, ethics, and cultural and environmental studies, and to anyone with a reflective interest in things horticultural.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 2, 2020
An honest philosophy, asserted well.
March 11, 2018
Che nesso hanno Nietzsche ed Heiddegger con Cézanne e Bacon e con la Jekyll e Page? Filosofia, arte, natura e giardini si mescolano per creare un nuovo concetto; o semplicemente per comprendere ciò che è già?
May 15, 2023
A beautiful perspective on the purpose, meaning, and power of The Garden.
Cooper masterfully explores the ancient practice and it’s shifting significance throughout time. Eudaimonia, defined as a “life in accordance with virtue”, serves as a central theme of gardens, with virtue itself existing at the practice’s core.
Perhaps gardening is far more than the mere cultivation of nature, but may instead hold a deeply physical, mental, and spiritual connection. I myself have become fascinated with what makes gardening so powerful, and this book provides great insight into the role such art and nature may have to play.
Not an easy read, but I would definitely recommend it.
“In the modern urban world, the garden, having once been ‘a place for man to escape from the threats of nature’, has become a ‘refuge from men.’”
Cooper masterfully explores the ancient practice and it’s shifting significance throughout time. Eudaimonia, defined as a “life in accordance with virtue”, serves as a central theme of gardens, with virtue itself existing at the practice’s core.
Perhaps gardening is far more than the mere cultivation of nature, but may instead hold a deeply physical, mental, and spiritual connection. I myself have become fascinated with what makes gardening so powerful, and this book provides great insight into the role such art and nature may have to play.
Not an easy read, but I would definitely recommend it.
“In the modern urban world, the garden, having once been ‘a place for man to escape from the threats of nature’, has become a ‘refuge from men.’”
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews