Decades before the environmental movement emerged in the 1960s, Adorno condemned our destructive and self-destructive relationship to the natural world, warning of the catastrophe that may result if we continue to treat nature as an object that exists exclusively for our own benefit. Adorno on Nature presents the first detailed examination of the pivotal role of the idea of natural history in Adorno’s work. A comparison of Adorno’s concerns with those of key ecological theorists – social ecologist Murray Bookchin, ecofeminist Carolyn Merchant, and deep ecologist Arne Naess – reveals how Adorno speaks directly to many of today’s most pressing environmental issues. Ending with a discussion of the philosophical conundrum of unity in diversity, Adorno on Nature also explores how social solidarity can be promoted as a necessary means of confronting environmental problems.

"Deborah Cook provides an illuminating study of the concept of nature in Adorno and how it emerges and remains a central component of his work, undergirding the key themes of his philosophy. Clearly and lucidly presenting Adorno’s complex ideas, Cook provides a work that should be of interest to both students and scholars of Adorno’s important work."

Douglas Kellner