The Human Person and the Environment
December 2011 |
Typhoon Sendong made landfall in Mindanao, which brought heavy rains that caused flooding in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City, leaving around eight hundred persons dead. |
December 2012 |
Typhoon Pablo ravaged Mindanao which left around one thousand five hundred fatalities |
November 2013 |
Typhoon Yolanda hit Leyte and Samar and took the lives of more than five thousand people. |
To live life to the fullest and ensure that the future generation could also experience the same, it is imperative to take care of the natural environment. |
As we continue to explore essence of the human person, it is essential to include how we interact with the natural environment. After all, Mother Nature could greatly influence the quality of human life |
Enlightened Anthropocentrism
Maintains that human beings have a moral duty to set limits in the utilization of nature's good in order to protect the needs of the future generation. |
entails moral deliberation and sustainable actions that are grounded on the fundamental human inclination for preservation |
humans should conserve and protect the environment because protecting the environment is also an act of protecting themselves and others |
Miss Earth 2017 - Karen Ibasco
"I believe that the real problem in this world is not climate change; the real problem is us because of our ignorance and apathy. What we have to do is to start changing our ways, to start recalibrating our minds, and redirecting our steps, because together, as a global community, our micro efforts will have a macro effect to help save our home, our planet. Thank you." |
|
|
Anthropocentrism
stems from the Judaeo-Christian tradition |
humans are the chief stewards of God's Creation |
non-human beings have no intrinsic value since they are only valuable depending on their utility to human beings |
This concept has a long-standing influence on how human beings treat the natural environment. For years, humans have exploited Mother Nature and left traces of destruction all over the world |
4 Principles of Anthropocentrism
Four principles that define human beings' relationship with the natural environment (Fernandez, 2019). |
First, human beings must recognize their moral obligations to the present generation of human beings in relation to their utilization of environmental goods |
Second, the present generation must consider the well-being of future generations and be aware that the stability and health of the future generations are directly affected by the decisions that the present generation makes concerning the environment. |
Third, people must understand and consider the full value of the various ecological services provided by the ecosystem. |
Finally, people must recognize that nature has an aesthetic value. |
Gallinero, et al., 2018
As moral agents, it is their responsibility to decide what is right even if their behavior and decisions are influenced by the culture of global corporations. |
Approaches to the Environment
Instrumental Approach |
Human being affirms the protection of the environment as long as it possesses value or importance for human being. |
| |
He/she takes care of the environment because it is a medium in establishing his/her society and civilization. |
Axiological Approach |
Human being recognizes the intrinsic value of the environment. |
Anthropological Approach |
The focus of establishing relationship with the environment is not environment itself but his/her “being”. |
Utilitarianism |
Our action is ethically right when it produces greater happiness for the greater number of people, otherwise the action is ethically wrong |
Natural Law Ethics |
We respect nature because God created it for divine purpose. |
Value Ethics Perspective |
The act of caring and respecting becomes our second nature. |
Sacredness of Environment |
The environment shall always have an inherent relation with the Creator. |
|
|
Deep Ecology
Arne Naess, A Norwegian philosopher coined the term in 1973. |
radical responses to Anthropocentrism |
Deep Ecology is a new ecological philosophy (ecosophy) that considers humanity an integral part of nature. The ideology stresses the interdependence of nature, humans, and non-humans, as well as the environment and its natural processes. |
ecological science is concerned only with facts and reasoning and cannot address ethical questions about how human beings can live |
Human beings need ecological wisdom. By concentrating on deep knowledge, deep questioning, and deep involvement, Deep Ecology seeks to establish an integrated structure where each gives rise to and supports the other. |
Society needs to find a middle ground between Anthropocentrism and Deep Ecology. |
Simon Caney (2020)
There is overwhelming evidence that human activities are changing the climate system. The emission of greenhouse gases results in increased temperatures, rising sea levels, and severe weather events (such as storm surges). |
Fernandez, 2019
Nature has human-like characteristics and can also reciprocate the kind of treatment they have towards it. The natural environment follows the law of reciprocity whereby any good deed done to it is justly and equally compensated. |
Influence of Humans to Environment
The Spirit of Stewardship |
Human being is part of creation. He/she is not the author of his/her existence. His/her existence comes from his/her creator; he/she is not the master of his/her existence |
| |
Human action does not only determine the kind of environment he/she wants to live in, but also it determines his/her existence in the environment. His/her action becomes reflexive to his/her own self-realization. |
| |
human being has to take care of the environment, and not to destroy it |
Summit of Creation |
he/she has moral responsibility to take care and respect the environment |
| |
In this context, he/she recognizes the “otherness” of the environment |
|
Created By
Metadata
Comments
No comments yet. Add yours below!
Add a Comment
More Cheat Sheets by skullpride