Arne Naess portrait photograph

Arne Naess was a Norwegian philosopher who coined the term “deep ecology” in 1973, fundamentally reshaping environmental thought and activism. Born in Oslo in 1912, he became Norway’s youngest professor at age 27 and would spend seven decades developing a philosophy that challenged humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

In 1937, Naess built a small mountain hut called Tvergastein at 1,500 meters above sea level in the mountains of central Norway. This austere retreat became the birthplace of his most influential ideas. There, surrounded by stone and sky, he developed what he called “Ecosophy T” - a personal ecological philosophy that integrated insights from Spinoza, Gandhi, and Buddhist thought with his direct experience of nature’s grandeur.

Naess distinguished between “shallow” and “deep” ecology in his seminal 1973 paper. While shallow ecology addressed environmental problems from within existing structures, deep ecology called for a fundamental shift in worldview - from seeing nature as resource to recognizing the intrinsic value of all life. His concept of “self-realization” proposed that the ecological self expands to embrace the larger web of life, dissolving the artificial boundary between self and nature.

His philosophy wasn’t merely theoretical. Naess participated in direct action, notably chaining himself with hundreds of others in 1981 to protest a dam project in northern Norway. He combined the rigor of academic philosophy with the passion of an activist and the wonder of a mountaineer who had climbed peaks across the world.

Naess’s influence extended far beyond Norway. Together with George Sessions, he articulated the Deep Ecology Platform - eight principles that became foundational for environmental movements worldwide. His work inspired countless activists, philosophers, and ordinary people to reconsider their place within, rather than above, the natural world. He continued writing and teaching until his death in 2009, leaving a legacy that remains vital to contemporary ecological thought.

Key Concepts

Essential Works

  1. “The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement” - Inquiry 16:1 (1973) - Seminal paper introducing deep ecology
  2. Ecology, Community and Lifestyle: Outline of an Ecosophy (Cambridge University Press, 1989) - ISBN 978-0-521-34873-7
  3. The Selected Works of Arne Naess, Volumes 1-10 (Springer, 2005) - ISBN 978-1-4020-3727-6
  4. Ecology of Wisdom: Writings by Arne Naess (Counterpoint Press, 2008) - ISBN 978-1-58243-401-3 - Edited by Alan Drengson and Bill Devall

Quotes from Arne Naess

Further Reading

Biographical Sources

Books in English

Articles & Resources