ABSTRACT
The potential effects of agriculture on soil and water have been known for centuries and were certainly among the first environmental impacts to be recognized. The list of current environmental controversies involving agriculture cited in the first edition of The Spirit of the Soil began with the expansion of beef production in Central and South American rainforests. Environmental philosophers have been taking an interest in urban environmental ethics and more recently in "novel ecosystems", where flora and fauna have recolonized areas dramatically affected by human practice. Aldo Leopold and E. F. Schumacher situate their remarks on agriculture within works that are aimed at developing broader conceptions of environmental ethics and environmental policy. This chapter argues that agricultural cases present problems worthy of philosophical attention. It provides an even broader claim: recent work in environmental philosophy would be substantially enriched by taking the spirit of soil—so common in religion and folklore—into more thoughtful consideration.
