Thoreau’s Eco-holism Thought In Walden

Henry David Thoreau is a great writer and philosopher with deep ecological thoughts. Walden, which records his appreciation of and melting into nature, his co-existence with humble natural life and self-reliant wild life during his stay at Walden pond for26months, reveals his ecological wholeness of harmony, loving life and advocacy of creativity. Scholars at home mostly study Thoreau from eco-ethics, but they tend to generally study Thoreau’s eco-ethics thoughts, exploring their genesis and essence while the study of Thoreau’s ecological holism is not enough. Although eco-holism belongs to eco-ethics, it cares for nature, individuals in nature and nature’s development from ecological wholeness. Eco-holism thought at Walden is mentioned only in two periodical theses and corresponding analyses are far from deep and comprehensive. Therefore, the thesis will analyze Thoreau’s eco-holism thought at Walden in a more systematic way.Thoreau’s eco-holism thought at Walden will be interpreted from three aspects. Firstly, man, natural world and nature are correlated and interacted. They are the relation between wholeness and part. Thoreau’s frugal life like Indians guides men to concentrate on ecological stability. Secondly, Thoreau’s loving for each natural life in ecological wholeness derives from natural life’s intrinsic value, not its instrumental value. Only by safeguarding natural life’s diversity and self-pursuit can protection of ecological benefits be realistic. Thirdly, wildness’s value-in-itself with creativity is dynamic source of ecological wholeness. Thoreau’s activities by natural laws activate creativity of all life, including that of human life, achieving the overall development of eco-system.Thoreau’s eco-holism thought displays deep views on ecological values maintaining dynamic balance in a unique fashion and thus offers readers a meaningful guidance to reconsideration of modern values.