Hey everyone! I'm on the hunt for books about botany and gardening that come from a non-Darwinian perspective, as I've found a lot of the current literature seems to lean heavily towards evolutionary viewpoints. I'm specifically interested in how people, particularly in Europe, understood plant life before the Darwinian revolution. If these books have an animistic touch, that would be even better! I'm just looking for some fresh insights into nature beyond the typical mechanistic lenses we see today. I want to point out that I'm not trying to start any debates about evolution—just want some book recommendations. If you have any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it! If not, that's cool too—just ignore me!
2 Answers
You might want to check out 'Braiding Sweetgrass.' It has some elements that lean towards a more holistic and respectful view of nature, but it may not be 100% what you're aiming for. Still, it's definitely worth a read!
Finding modern books that fit your criteria might be tough. Most of what we see today is heavily influenced by evolutionary biology. You might want to dig into older texts from before the 19th century for what you're looking for. Also, exploring traditional gardening methods from non-western cultures could give you a fresh perspective. Consider researching traditional Native American or Chinese agricultural practices, as they often approach plants in a way that's quite different from modern science. Another useful term to search could be 'ethnobotany'—that might lead you to some interesting reads!
That's a great point! It doesn't need to be modern. I'm really interested in perspectives from different cultures, especially those discussing plants, their traits, and even reproduction methods, just from a different viewpoint.
Just to nitpick, I think you meant 'you're' instead of 'your' in that last sentence!