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Lesson 10-11: The Human Person in their Environment

  • Environmental Philosophy/Ethics

    • a branch of philosophy that is concerned with the natural environment and humanity’s place in it.

    • It deals with issues concerning humanity’s role in the world, the interaction between nature and humans, and human response to environmental challenges.

Philosophers believe that persons have a special relationship with nature because of their rationality. They are not only part of nature, but they can also shape, transform, and cultivate it. However, this also means that they are also capable of inflicting the most harm on it.

Three Major Views regarding the relationship between humanity and the environment.

  1. Anthropocentrism

    • considers humans the most significant species on the planet, and that nature provides humankind with the means to survive and develop.

    • Look around and you can see evidence of human transforming the environment to suit their needs.

      • Landscapes were reshaped to schools, buildings, and other structures.

      • Farmers till vast tracts of land to grow crops, loggers clear forests for lumber, and mining companies dig up land and even level mountains to access minerals and metals.

  2. Biocentrism

    • believes that humans are not only significant species on the planet, but rather, all organisms have inherent value and should be protected.

    • This view drives the activities of human organizations that advocate the ethical treatment of animals.

    • Our government has passed laws that recognize the rights of animals to be treated kindly, such as R.A. 8485 or “The Animal Welfare Act of 1998”

  3. Ecocentrism

    • emphasizes great value on ecosystems and biological communities.

    • This view believes that humankind is part of a greater biological system or community and that we have a significant role as stewards or guardians of nature.

      • This view also promotes the idea that order and balance in nature brings about stability and beauty.

      • Biologists believe that all biological organisms living with each other and that each organism occupies a significant role within an ecosystem.

Human activities have a significant impact on the environment. Current scientific evidence proves that human activities over the centuries have resulted in great changes in climate patterns throughout the world. Climate change and its related effects are among the most important environmental issues we face today.

  • Environmentalism

    • This perspective advocates to address the growing environmental problems.

Philosophical View from ENVIRONMENTALISM

  • Environmental ethics

    • A moral approach that analyzes the relationship between humans and the environment.

    • Discusses environmental problems caused by human activities and social issues that impact the environment.

      • Serves as a basis of for reflecting on how our actions show our regard for nature.

      • Guide us in upholding the welfare of the environment and everything on it.

Good to note…

  • Important part of environmentalism is collective action spearheaded by environmental groups that call attention to environmental problems and environmental abuse.

Environmental Ethics has resulted in the development of varied views

  • Social ecology

    • Applies an ecological and ethical approach in analyzing society, and sees a relationship between social problems and environmental problems.

  • Climate ethics and climate justice

    • Arose from the growing concern with climate change, and consider it a significant ethical, social, and political issue.

  • Environmental justice

    • Refers to the fair distribution of environmental benefits, as well as the burden of meeting environmental challenges.

    • Advocates emphasize equity and the meaningful involvement of communities and governments in addressing environmental challenges, and planning and implementing environmental policies.

  • Environmental aesthetics

    • Which originally focused on concepts of beauty in nature, but has become increasingly influenced by environmental concerns.

    • Concerned primarily with natural beauty in the context of maintaining order and balance in the environment.

  • Environmentalism

    • Also become an issue in international politics as governments and international organizations have devoted efforts to discuss environmental issues and formulate plans to address them.

The central concept of the Tao Te Ching is the tao, or Way/Path. The tao is both the Way of nature – the fundamental principle underlying the natural world – and the way of life that human beings should follow in order to lead a fulfilled life in harmony with the natural world

  • The basic idea of the Taoists is to enable people to realize that, since human life is really only a small part of a larger process of nature, the human life which makes sense are those which are in harmony with nature

  • WU WEI

    • the practice of taking no action that is not in accord with the natural course of the universe.

    • it means striving to make our behaviour as spontaneous and inevitable as certain natural processes, and to ensure that we are swimming with rather than against currents.

  • PANTHEISM

    • view that the world is either identical to God or an expression of God's nature.

    • It comes from 'pan' meaning all, and 'theism,' which means belief in God. So according to pantheism, “God is everything and everything is God.”

M

Lesson 10-11: The Human Person in their Environment

  • Environmental Philosophy/Ethics

    • a branch of philosophy that is concerned with the natural environment and humanity’s place in it.

    • It deals with issues concerning humanity’s role in the world, the interaction between nature and humans, and human response to environmental challenges.

Philosophers believe that persons have a special relationship with nature because of their rationality. They are not only part of nature, but they can also shape, transform, and cultivate it. However, this also means that they are also capable of inflicting the most harm on it.

Three Major Views regarding the relationship between humanity and the environment.

  1. Anthropocentrism

    • considers humans the most significant species on the planet, and that nature provides humankind with the means to survive and develop.

    • Look around and you can see evidence of human transforming the environment to suit their needs.

      • Landscapes were reshaped to schools, buildings, and other structures.

      • Farmers till vast tracts of land to grow crops, loggers clear forests for lumber, and mining companies dig up land and even level mountains to access minerals and metals.

  2. Biocentrism

    • believes that humans are not only significant species on the planet, but rather, all organisms have inherent value and should be protected.

    • This view drives the activities of human organizations that advocate the ethical treatment of animals.

    • Our government has passed laws that recognize the rights of animals to be treated kindly, such as R.A. 8485 or “The Animal Welfare Act of 1998”

  3. Ecocentrism

    • emphasizes great value on ecosystems and biological communities.

    • This view believes that humankind is part of a greater biological system or community and that we have a significant role as stewards or guardians of nature.

      • This view also promotes the idea that order and balance in nature brings about stability and beauty.

      • Biologists believe that all biological organisms living with each other and that each organism occupies a significant role within an ecosystem.

Human activities have a significant impact on the environment. Current scientific evidence proves that human activities over the centuries have resulted in great changes in climate patterns throughout the world. Climate change and its related effects are among the most important environmental issues we face today.

  • Environmentalism

    • This perspective advocates to address the growing environmental problems.

Philosophical View from ENVIRONMENTALISM

  • Environmental ethics

    • A moral approach that analyzes the relationship between humans and the environment.

    • Discusses environmental problems caused by human activities and social issues that impact the environment.

      • Serves as a basis of for reflecting on how our actions show our regard for nature.

      • Guide us in upholding the welfare of the environment and everything on it.

Good to note…

  • Important part of environmentalism is collective action spearheaded by environmental groups that call attention to environmental problems and environmental abuse.

Environmental Ethics has resulted in the development of varied views

  • Social ecology

    • Applies an ecological and ethical approach in analyzing society, and sees a relationship between social problems and environmental problems.

  • Climate ethics and climate justice

    • Arose from the growing concern with climate change, and consider it a significant ethical, social, and political issue.

  • Environmental justice

    • Refers to the fair distribution of environmental benefits, as well as the burden of meeting environmental challenges.

    • Advocates emphasize equity and the meaningful involvement of communities and governments in addressing environmental challenges, and planning and implementing environmental policies.

  • Environmental aesthetics

    • Which originally focused on concepts of beauty in nature, but has become increasingly influenced by environmental concerns.

    • Concerned primarily with natural beauty in the context of maintaining order and balance in the environment.

  • Environmentalism

    • Also become an issue in international politics as governments and international organizations have devoted efforts to discuss environmental issues and formulate plans to address them.

The central concept of the Tao Te Ching is the tao, or Way/Path. The tao is both the Way of nature – the fundamental principle underlying the natural world – and the way of life that human beings should follow in order to lead a fulfilled life in harmony with the natural world

  • The basic idea of the Taoists is to enable people to realize that, since human life is really only a small part of a larger process of nature, the human life which makes sense are those which are in harmony with nature

  • WU WEI

    • the practice of taking no action that is not in accord with the natural course of the universe.

    • it means striving to make our behaviour as spontaneous and inevitable as certain natural processes, and to ensure that we are swimming with rather than against currents.

  • PANTHEISM

    • view that the world is either identical to God or an expression of God's nature.

    • It comes from 'pan' meaning all, and 'theism,' which means belief in God. So according to pantheism, “God is everything and everything is God.”

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