About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
“No one tradition alone offers a sufficient respect for other species. Taken together, they may offer a prospect for saner human-animal relations.” – From the book
Western conceptions of objectivity and individuality have resulted in a readier appreciation of the worth of the animals and nature than has been recognized. This provocative book takes issue with the popular view that the Western cultural tradition, in contrast to Eastern and Aboriginal traditions, has encouraged attitudes of domination and exploitation towards nature, particularly animals.
Preece argues that the Western tradition has much to commend it, and that descriptions of Aboriginal and Oriental orientations have often been misleadingly rosy, simplified and codified according to current fashionable concepts.
Animals and Nature is the result of six years’ intensive study into comparative religion, literature, philosophy, anthropology, mythology and animal welfare science.
Contributor Notes
Rod Preece teaches in the Department of Political Science at Wilfried Laurier University. He is the author of Animal Welfare, Human Values and Brute Souls, Happy Beasts, and Evolution (UBC Press, 2005).
Awards
- Short-listed, Raymond Klibansky Prize, Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences
- Winner, Outstanding Academic Title, Choice Magazine
Editorial Reviews
An incredibly detailed documentation of western theory and practice of humanity’s relationship with nature and especially with animals.
— Canadian Forum
No previous book offers nearly the breadth of Preece's erudite multidisciplinary work. A unique and valuable book, strongly recommended.
— Choice
A new and surprising religious target, native Indian spirituality, is discovered in this groundbreaking book by Rod Preece.
— Vancouver Sun
Preece is a scholar of enormous intellect who makes the long-overdue case that western civilization need look no further than its own myths and traditions to justify the ethical treatment of animals.
— Georgia Straight
