Deep-Ecology-Founder on deep ecology

Profile: Bill Devall

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Bill Devall (1938-2009) was an American sociologist who co-authored Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered (1985) with George Sessions. The book introduced deep ecology philosophy to North American audiences and examined the philosophical, psychological, and sociological dimensions of the environmental movement.

Born in Kansas City, Devall earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas and graduate degrees from the University of Hawaii and the University of Oregon. His doctoral thesis examined governance in the Sierra Club. He taught briefly at the University of Alberta before joining the Sociology Department at Humboldt State University in 1968, where he remained for his teaching career.

Profile: George Sessions

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

George Sessions (1938-2016) was an American philosopher who co-developed the Deep Ecology Platform with Arne Naess. He taught philosophy at Sierra College in Rocklin, California for nearly fifty years, where he served as department chair.

Sessions co-authored Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered (1985) with Bill Devall, one of the first comprehensive presentations of deep ecology philosophy for North American readers. The book examined the philosophical, psychological, and social dimensions of the environmental movement, proposing an ecocentric rather than anthropocentric approach to nature.

Profile: Pat Fleming

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Pat Fleming is a deep ecology facilitator who co-authored Thinking Like a Mountain (1988) with John Seed, Joanna Macy, and Arne Naess. She has conducted experiential deep ecology workshops for over forty years.

Born in England to a Northern Irish family, Fleming holds British-Australian nationality and currently resides in northern Lutruwita (Tasmania). Her background includes mental health counseling, conservation botany, organic farming, and environmental education. She holds an MA in Psychology from Edinburgh University and an MSc in Botanical Conservation from Plymouth University.