Summary of The Death of Nature

The Death of Nature by Carolyn Merchant is an environmental history of the rise of capitalism, science, and technology and their profound effects on the relationship between humans and nature. Merchant examines the complex historical, philosophical, and economic forces that led to the displacement of nature as a source of spiritual, moral, and economic sustenance. She shows how, in the West, nature has become increasingly viewed as an exploitable commodity, and how this view has shaped our understanding of our environment and our place in it. The book provides a comprehensive and provocative examination of the ways in which the human-nature relationship has been shaped by the rise of modern science and capitalism. It also highlights the importance of developing new ways of thinking about the environment and our relationship to it.