MSU philosopher’s book offers bold vision for going green
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A ɫƵ philosopher is examining how democracies can respond to environmental crises while respecting the diverse ways people understand and relate to the natural world.
Manuel “Manny” Rodeiro, assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Philosophy and Religion, released his book “Liberalism’s Environmental Promise” in June through SUNY Press, part of the SUNY Environmental Philosophy and Ethics series.
“It argues that confronting environmental challenges does not require governments to impose a particular vision of how people ought to value or relate to the natural world,” Rodeiro said. “Instead, societies should create conditions in which environmentally sustainable ways of life have genuine opportunities to flourish alongside other ways of living.”
The book series explores the political and social dimensions of environmental ethics. Rodeiro examines how governments address environmental problems when citizens hold different beliefs about nature, the environment and what constitutes a good life.
In his book, Rodeiro looks at the principle of cooperation amid differences and considers what it means when environmental decisions affect competing cultures, communities and ways of life. He argues government policies intended to promote economic growth can inadvertently favor particular ways of relating to the natural world. In some cases, those policies have come at the expense of cultures and communities whose relationships with the environment have been marginalized or destroyed in the name of progress. He offers an optimistic vision for environmental political theory—one that seeks to address the ecological crisis without abandoning pluralism.
At MSU, Rodeiro serves as undergraduate program coordinator for the Department of Philosophy and Religion. His research focuses on environmental philosophy, political philosophy, philosophy of law and pragmatism.
Rodeiro earned his Ph.D. and master’s degree in philosophy from City University of New York and his juris doctorate from Fordham University School of Law. He also holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and history from the College of New Jersey, along with minors in political science and politics, law and philosophy. He is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.
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