THE HUMAN

PERSON IN THE
ENVIRONMENT
DESTINY R. GULAHAB
PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS:

WHEN DID THE UNIVERSE

BEGIN?
WHERE DID THE UNIVERSE
ORIGINATE?
WHAT IS THE WORLD MADE OF?
ANTHROPOCENTRIC MODEL
HUMAN
CULTURE
INDIVIDUALISM
MIND
CALCULATIVE
HUMAN OVER / AGAINST ENVIRONMENTS
GLOBAL / TECHNOLOGICAL
ECOCENTRIC MODEL
NATURE
WILD
HOLISM
NATURE / COSMOS
BODY
RELATIONAL
EARTH / WISDOM
ECOLOGY OVER / AGAINST HUMAN
 ANTHROPOCENTRISM – attitude or belief
that humans are the central and most
significant species on the planet.
- Believes that humans are
considered the primary cause
that drives changes in the
environment.
- ECOCENTRISM – believes that ecological
and relational integrity of humans provide
meaning of our morals and values.
ANAXIMANDER’s
creation & destruction
Nature is “boundless”
COSMOGONY – genesis of
the world
Generation of opposites
PYTHAGORAS

 “Universeis a living embodiment of

nature’s order, harmony and
beauty.”

Human’s relationship with the universe

are:
 BIOPHILIA
 COSMOPHILIA
CHINESE COSMIC PHILOSOPHY

Universe is a continuous
chain of natural
consequences
YIN and YANG
There is nothing new under
the sun.
IMMANUEL KANT’s Cosmic
Harmony
“Beauty is a symbol of morality.”
Sense of cosmic harmony
HERBERT MARCUSE

“Humanity had
dominated
nature.”
GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

“As human
beings, we do not
have only rights
but duties.”
ERICH FROMM

“As humans, it is
also inherent in
us to escape
the prison cell of
selfishness.”
 ERICH FROMM’s New Human
Being / New Society
 Prudence & Frugality toward Environment

 Functions of society:
- Willingness to give up all forms of having
- Being fully present where one is
- Trying to reduce greed and hate and illusions
- Making the full growth of oneself and of fellow
Functions of society
- Not deceiving others but also not being deceived by
others
- Freedom is the possibility to be oneself and a
delicately balanced structure
- Happiness in the process of ever-growing aliveness
- Joy that comes from giving and sharing
- Developing one’s capacity for love, together with
one’s capacity
- Shedding one’s narcissism and accepting that tragic
limitations inherent in human existence
ENVIRONMENTAL THEORIES
 DEEPECOLOGY – ecological crisis is an outcome of
anthropocentrism
 SOCIAL ECOLOGY – ecological crisis results from
authoritarian social structures
 ECOFEMINISM
– ecological crisis is a consequence of
make dominance
 GAIAHYPOTHESIS – suggests that non – organic
elements play a significant role in maintaining
balance in the environment
ENVIRONMENTAL
PHILOSOPHY
branch of Philosophy that is
concerned with the natural
environment and humanity’s
place within it.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS – emerged
in 1970
-advocated human responsibility
and action to environmental issues

SOCIAL ECOLOGY – applies an

ecological & ethical approach in
analysing society
-sees a relationship between social
and environmental problems
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – refers to
the fair distribution of environmental
benefits, as well as the burden of
meeting environmental challenges

ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETICS -
discussed concepts of natural
beauty by maintaining order and
balance in the environment
ENVIRONMENTALISM –social
movement that was inspired to raise
environmental awareness including
PROTECTION and CONSERVATION

EARTH DAY – is a global effort to

raise awareness of environmental issues
and inspire action among communities