Arne Dekke Eide Næss (27 January 1912 – 12 January 2009) was the founder of deep ecology. He is widely regarded as the foremost Norwegian philosopher of the 20th century. He was the youngest person to be appointed full professor at the University of Oslo. Næss, himself an avid mountaineer, was also known as the uncle of mountaineer and businessman Arne Næss Jr. (1937–2004) and the younger brother of ship owner Erling Dekke Næss.
Næss cited Rachel...
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Arne Dekke Eide Næss (27 January 1912 – 12 January 2009) was the founder of deep ecology. He is widely regarded as the foremost Norwegian philosopher of the 20th century. He was the youngest person to be appointed full professor at the University of Oslo. Næss, himself an avid mountaineer, was also known as the uncle of mountaineer and businessman Arne Næss Jr. (1937–2004) and the younger brother of ship owner Erling Dekke Næss.
Næss cited Rachel Carson's 1962 book Silent Spring as being a key influence in his vision of deep ecology. Næss combined his ecological vision with Gandhian nonviolence and on several occasions participated in direct action. In 1970, together with a large number of demonstrators, he chained himself to rocks in front of Mardalsfossen, a waterfall in a Norwegian fjord, and refused to descend until plans to build a dam were dropped. Though the demonstrators were carried away by police and the dam was eventually built, the demonstration launched a more activist...
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