Under One Canopy

Life on Earth forms an intricate, interconnected web. All species, ourselves included, rely on each other for material survival. But we share a deep, abiding ancestry that unites us in an extended moral family, as well. Under One Canopy looks at this web from both sides, stitching together our evolutionary and ethical connections to other species, revealing a world of kinship and wonder.

Humanity’s technological achievements have enriched our lives immeasurably, and helped underscore what a unique species we are. Yet, these advances have distanced us ever further from our fundamental, biological nature, obscuring our kinship with the rest of the Earth’s biodiversity. Peeling away just a few of these layers reveals a world rich in connections that show just how deeply enmeshed in nature we are. Every cell in our bodies and every impulse we experience are testaments to our fundamental unity with all other life on Earth.

Human exceptionalism has narrowed our view of environmental issues like climate change and loss of biodiversity as threats primarily to our own livelihoods, denying any moral responsibility toward our evolutionary brethren. Yet, the recognition of our inherent biology should prompt deep reflection on the ethical status of other species. As our sense of kinship grows, our sense of obligation should expand accordingly.

Under One Canopy challenges readers to confront their biological selves. I argue that acknowledging our kinship with non-human lives demands a radical reimagining of our responsibilities as a society. Humanity must figure out how to prioritize the sustainability of the Earth’s living systems, for our own descendants and for those of all other members of our extended evolutionary family.