Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey

While Goodall’s Reason for Hope is an autobiographical text depicting Goodall’s personal experiences, the text also details Goodall’s philosophies of life and how they came to be. Goodall is best known for her ethnological, anthropological, and humanitarian work. She was also a conservationist and environmentalist, who promoted the notion that humans must reconnect with the natural world to save human civilization and the planet. 

Goodall’s philosophy is deeply influenced by her personal faith. She grew up in the Christian church but her understanding of God, religion, and faith evolved as the result of her anthropological and scientific work. She “bridges the rigor of science with the sensitivity of spirituality,” arguing that because humans have more developed intellects than other animals, “we have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human species—quite regardless of whether or not we believe in God” (Popova, Maria. “Jane Goodall on Science, Spirituality, and Our Highest Responsibility as Human Beings.” The Marginalian). Goodall’s approach to science and environmentalism is therefore built upon practices of empathy and compassion, which are also fundamental tenets of the Christian doctrine Goodall was raised with.

Goodall’s views on compassion, conservationism, and interspecies relationships are founded in more general conservationist ideas. Broadly, conservationism is “an environmental, historical, and political movement aiming to conserve and protect natural resources, ecology, endangered species, national monuments, and landmarks. Conservationists of different specialties advocate for various causes, including the proper use of land and protecting endangered species and historic structures” (“Conservationism Explained: A Brief History of Conservationism.” MasterClass). Many identify Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring as the start of contemporary conservationist efforts. The book exposed and raised awareness about harmful pesticides and pollutants used by major companies, all of which destroyed ecosystems and endangered wildlife. Goodall became interested in fighting for the protection of the natural world and animals after attending a conference on Understanding Chimpanzees in Chicago in 1986; the conference opened her eyes to how environmental degradation was impacting chimpanzee populations.

As Goodall acknowledges throughout the text, mainstream conservationism and anthropology are sometimes regarded as existing in tension with certain religious doctrines. Christian doctrine teaches that humans are not animals and are in fact superior to all other lifeforms. Some Christians believe that, since humans have been given power over the natural world by God, they are free to use the earth and its resources for their own ends. Goodall’s philosophy leans more into progressive Christian thought, wherein humans have been appointed by God as the “stewards of the Earth” and are thus responsible for taking care of and protecting it. 

Some thinkers in scientific fields regard a belief in God as antithetical to more rational thought. Goodall’s ideas stray from typical scientific notions both in her commitment to spirituality and her conception of her relationship with her animal subjects. At the time Goodall was working (between the 1950s and 1990s), popular science held that scientists must embrace logic and stave off empathy at all costs. Goodall was unaware of these trends, as she did not have formal anthropological training. She instead did her best to connect with her subjects, which underscores the compassionate aspect of her conservationist work later in life.

Goodall’s philosophy is in direct conversation with the work of David Abram, another environmental writer, who also touts the spiritual aspects of the natural world and the possibilities of learning empathy from a connection with animals and the land. Goodall’s ideas in Reason for Hope are also aligned with those explored in Diane Ackerman’s The Zookeeper’s Wife: A War Story and Dian Fossey’s Gorillas in the Mist.