A logic of domination justifies ruling nature via culture-nature hierarchy.

Evidence

First, there is the premise that the physical and emotional (and especially “unruly” emotion) are more tied to “nature,” while the mental is more tied to “culture.” Second is the assumption that whatever is identified with nature and the realm of the physical is inferior to what is cultural and thus human (we will explore this below as “anthropocentrism”). Once the notion of superior and inferior realms is accepted as a truth, then it follows that whatever is defined as superior is morally justified in subordinating and ruling the inferior. The logical conclusion is that the “mental,” or “rational,” or “cultural,” is separate from, and justified in ruling the “physical” or “emotional,” or “natural.” — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education, 511

Categorization

• DEFINE: Formally defines the logic of domination as a three-premise argument, the analytical spine that unites ecofeminism’s critiques of reason, nature, gender hierarchy.
• XREF: This is the exact reasoning structure that links the eco-justice course’s lesson plans to the theory course’s Bowers critique and to ecofeminism across the polyad. — connects to: Anthropocentrism frames nature as dead and manipulable, outside ethical responsibility — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 591; Sexism, racism, and anthropocentrism all share a value-hierarchized logic of domination — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 322; Technological mastery extinguishing nature and cultures is dominated by men by design — Val Plumwood, Feminism and the Mastery of Nature, 55 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Dominating nature chiefly becomes power over other humans #expands (0.85) — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism, 703
• Controlling nature and controlling humans advance together within science #expands (0.82) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 614
• A rationality geared to domination shapes how we construe the Other #expands (0.80) — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism, 464
• Universal quantifiability is a prerequisite for the domination of nature. #expands (0.80) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 608