Good Morning! It’s a lovely, snowy Saturday morning here in New Jersey.
Not long ago, I was training to become an ecologist. My classmates and I studied the interaction of life in all its forms with the abiotic aspects of the planet. It was good time in my life, and I recall being more content and happy than I had ever been before, or have been since.
I was drawn to the field of ecology because of my beliefs about the natural world. I believe in a divine spirit that exists not far away, but right here with us on earth. It is said that the body of the Great Spirit is the earth and all that is upon it. We are a part of it. Plants, animals, water and rock are a part of it. We are all part and parcel of the same whole. All that we do effects it just as we in turn are affected by the consequences of our actions. Such things cannot be proven – I just have a feeling that it is so.
Learning about ecology helped me to gain knowledge of the connection between living things, between life and the non-living parts of their environment and what forces influences the abiotic environment. I also spent time thinking about the different ways one can think of and about the environment. I would love to give an overview of all such philosophies, but for this week’s post I will stick to my own view. I think that the majority of my beliefs can be said to fall into the category of a non- anthropocentric utilitarian view of nature. Utilitarian philosophy focuses on the benefit of whatever item you are thinking of. Anthropocentric means human-centered. When I write “non-anthropocentric utilitarian” I mean a place, a part of the natural environment or even the planet as a whole can have worth whether there are direct benefits to humans or not. This is in contrast to a utilitarian or “wise-use” view of nature, which places a priority on human use of resources.
I believe every environment is beneficial to something - from the desert to the bottom of the sea. Living things deserve a voice - they deserve consideration in deliberations which will affect their lives and the places they live. At the same time we need to find food, shelter, and sustainable sources of the myriad resources required to sustain the human population of the planet. This is where the environmental movement comes in. Whales cannot argue for a reduction in whale harvesting, so we have the “Save the Whales” campaign. Our children cannot attend the political gatherings that can influence whether or not a reliable supply of oil or natural gas will be available to them when they reach adulthood, so we have campaigns for sustainable energy.
Like any social or political trend, the environmental movement contains a wide variety of extremes. Some groups will argue for no equivocations, while others will embrace them. All share a desire to make the world a better place according to their particular views. I would also like to save the world in some big (or small) way. For the moment, I have shared my ideas on the subject. I hope you’ll join me again next week for some further thought on different environmental philosophies. Utilizing a few excerpts from a wonderful book entitled “This is not a book – Philosophical Games and Thought Experiments to Give Your Mind a Workout” by Michael Picard, I think I can work through them in my next post.
I was drawn to the field of ecology because of my beliefs about the natural world. I believe in a divine spirit that exists not far away, but right here with us on earth. It is said that the body of the Great Spirit is the earth and all that is upon it. We are a part of it. Plants, animals, water and rock are a part of it. We are all part and parcel of the same whole. All that we do effects it just as we in turn are affected by the consequences of our actions. Such things cannot be proven – I just have a feeling that it is so.
Learning about ecology helped me to gain knowledge of the connection between living things, between life and the non-living parts of their environment and what forces influences the abiotic environment. I also spent time thinking about the different ways one can think of and about the environment. I would love to give an overview of all such philosophies, but for this week’s post I will stick to my own view. I think that the majority of my beliefs can be said to fall into the category of a non- anthropocentric utilitarian view of nature. Utilitarian philosophy focuses on the benefit of whatever item you are thinking of. Anthropocentric means human-centered. When I write “non-anthropocentric utilitarian” I mean a place, a part of the natural environment or even the planet as a whole can have worth whether there are direct benefits to humans or not. This is in contrast to a utilitarian or “wise-use” view of nature, which places a priority on human use of resources.
I believe every environment is beneficial to something - from the desert to the bottom of the sea. Living things deserve a voice - they deserve consideration in deliberations which will affect their lives and the places they live. At the same time we need to find food, shelter, and sustainable sources of the myriad resources required to sustain the human population of the planet. This is where the environmental movement comes in. Whales cannot argue for a reduction in whale harvesting, so we have the “Save the Whales” campaign. Our children cannot attend the political gatherings that can influence whether or not a reliable supply of oil or natural gas will be available to them when they reach adulthood, so we have campaigns for sustainable energy.
Like any social or political trend, the environmental movement contains a wide variety of extremes. Some groups will argue for no equivocations, while others will embrace them. All share a desire to make the world a better place according to their particular views. I would also like to save the world in some big (or small) way. For the moment, I have shared my ideas on the subject. I hope you’ll join me again next week for some further thought on different environmental philosophies. Utilizing a few excerpts from a wonderful book entitled “This is not a book – Philosophical Games and Thought Experiments to Give Your Mind a Workout” by Michael Picard, I think I can work through them in my next post.
Stay warm!
