The Human

in the
Environment
Introduction
 What is the world made of?
 How did the world come to being?
 How can we explain the process of
change?
 It is the philosophical questions already
brought up approximately 600 B.C.E. In
the western Ionian seaport town of
Miletus across the Aegean Sea from
Athens, Greece.
 The pre-Socratic philosophers represent
a paradigm shift. These philosophers were
looking for the underlying laws of nature.
They wanted to understand the
processes by studying the nature itself,
not by listening to stories about gods.
They represent the first intellectual and
scientific attempt to understand the origin
of the universe.
 2 frameworks by Payne
Anthropocentric Model Ecocentric Model
Human Nature
Culture Wild
Individualism Holism
Mind Nature/ cosmos
Calculative Body
Human Over/ against environment Relational
Global/ technological Earth/ wisdom
Ecology over/ against human
 In Anthropocentric model, humans are
superior and central to the universe.

 Ecocentric Model, the ecological or

relational integrity of the humans,
provides meaning of our morals and
values. Ecological positioning occurs in the
past, present and future, and their
environmental settings with regard to our
identifications, relations and attachments
in, about, with or for various natures.
 According to Payne, classrooms cannot set
aside the importance of aesthetics as well as
the environment that suggests valuing that
include: aesthetic appreciation; enjoyment,
relaxation, satisfaction, calm, peace, social
interaction, growth toward holism and self-
understanding.

 Our limited understanding opens for a need

of nature, applying aesthetic and theological
dimensions, as well as appreciating our
philosophical reflections with the concept of
nature itself.
 The dominion of humanity is linked to the
domination of nature based on the
anthropocentric model. An unfair or unjust
utilization of the environment result to
ecological crisis.

 It follows that human arrogance toward

nature is justifiable in order to satisfy human
interests. Sometime humans adopt an
exploitative attitude whenever nature is
merely considered as an instrument for
one’s profit or gain.
Human Being’s Perspective on
Environment
The kind of relationship that human being
establishes with the environment depends
on how he/she perceives it.

Human being as an erratic and disorderly

thing that needs to be analyzed, reformed
and reshaped through the cultural tools of
science and technology in the service of the
human self.
In your observation , how do humans
regard the environment? Explain. In what
way/s are your answers positive or
negative?
Furthermore, the environment is
considered as a commodity or property to
be used and disposed for one’s own
individual welfare.

In such cases, the human self fails to relate

with the environment as another subject, as
a bio community. It sees the enveronment
as something be exploited.
This is the causes of on-going
environmental crisis. Natural entities and
resources such as individuals, species and
ecosystem are destroyed.

Approximately 50,000 species go extinct

each year. Three fourths of the worlds
birds and a quarter of the world’s
mammalian species face extinction.
Climate change has rapidly accelerated
because of industrial scale burning of fossil
fuels and tropical rainforest. Multiple rivers
and tributaries have been converted as
dumping sites of waste. The conversions of
mountains into settlement area, agricultural
and land into golf courses have been
causes of massive destruction of natural
habitat and ecosystem
Notice
Disorder in the
Universe
Current researches by Zimmerman (1994), Elgin
(2009), and Pettman (2012) to name a few,
exposed the environmental consequence of
international politicoeconomic specialization for
specific countries and global regions. Research
also shows the implications for both abuses of
natural resources and of the generation of waste
and emissions. Numerous concepts and indicators
have been used to understand environmental
impact such as the carbon footprint (CF).
For instance, the emission of
greenhouse gases, such as carbon
dioxide, methane, fluoride and nitrous
that are part of the production goods
and services consumed in many
categerios
Carbon footprint has eight categories:
1.Construction
2.Shelter
3.Food
4.Clothing
5.Mobility
6.Manufactured goods
7.Services
8.Trade
Travel 36%, Home 22%, Goods 18%, Services 17%, Foods 7%
The Ecocentric model, puts the ecosystem first
and assumes that the natural world has intrinsic
value. Nature is not valued for the future survival
of human species per se, but is invaluable in itself.
For instance, humans have a responsibility toward
the land. However, because of the
anthropocentric attitude, humanity claims
ownership or authority over land. For the
ecocentric model, instead, love, respect,
admiration for nature, and a high regard for its
value is essential.
• If humanity overworks the soil and substitute
domesticated species of plants and animals for
wild ones, human made changes threaten the
health of nature. Unlike changes in the
evolutionary process, our human interventions
have swift and even, violent effect on nature.

• The study for instance, established that the

damage is not inevitable but a consequence of
our choices. Accordingly, humanity needs to
develop an “ecological conscience” based on
individual responsibility. Ecologists challenge us
to adopt a lifestyle that involves simple living
that honours the right of all life forms to live,
flourish, and create a rich diversity of human
and nonhuman life.
If humanity overworks the soil and
substitute domesticated species of plants
and animals for wild ones, human made
changes threaten the health of nature.
Unlike changes in the evolutionary process,
our human interventions have swift and
even, violent effect on nature.
 The study of instance, established that the
damage is not inevitable but a consequence of
our choices.

 Humanity needs to develop an “ecological

conscience” based on the individual responsibility.
Ecologists challenge us to adopt a lifestyle that
involves simple living that honours the right of all
life forms to live, flourish and create a rich
diversity between human and nonhuman life. For
ecologists, the right to live and blossom should
not just be for human beings but must valid to all
forms of life. This belief stems from awareness of
our dependence to the other forms of life, not a
master-slave relationship.
 The 2007 United Nation’s Declaration
grants the indigenous people “the right to
conservation, restoration, and protection
of the total environment and productive
capacity of their lands, teritories, and
resources, as well as the assistance for
this purpose from States and through
international cooperation.” The
relationship of the indigenous people with
environment is, thus, spiritually and
materially strengtened(Ramiscal 2013).
The environmental crisis is one very
concrete problem that threatens the
existence of the various species, including
our own, currently inhabiting this this
world.

The many possible causes of the

environmental crisis can be broadly
classified into four types:
1. Physical
2. Legal
3. Socio-Economic
4. Attitudinal Cuases
Physical Causes
it refer to those causes that can in
principle be studied by the sciences. They
are, in this regard, observable and
quantifiable and their processes are
governed by the deterministic laws of
nature.
Physical Causes can either be natural or
human-induced.

The Natural Physical Causes is brought

about solely by processes of nature. This
means that they happen independently of
any human intervention or regardless of
any human action.
The human-induced physical causes is
brought about by human intervention in the
process of nature. The following are
pollution, global warming, depletion of
natural resources, emission of toxic
substance in the atmosphere, dumping of
non-biodegradable waste materials into
oceans and rivers and oil spills.
Legal Causes
It includes existing laws of the land that
have something to do with the environment
They however , also include the absence of
laws that would effectively prohibit
practices damaging to the environment and
of legal mechanisms that would effectively
punish those violating existing
environmental laws.
Socio-Economic Causes
The factors that are brought about by
social arrangements and the economic stat
of human persons, Such causes include
over-population, which natural results in the
competition over limited resources, which
in turn contributes to the depletion of
these resources.They also include poverty.
Attitudinal Causes
It refer to the beliefs and values held by
humans about nature that allow them or
make it permissible for them to cause
damages to the natural environment.
 Homo Economicus
 Progreessivism
 Industrialism
 Consumerism
 Destruction of Property:

Devastation brought by typhoon Yolanda and Ondoy

War Poverty

Soil Erosion Linked to Food Supply

Notice Things that Are
not in Their Proper Place
and Organize Them in an
Aesthetic Way
 A. Ancient Thinkers
 Anaximander
Employed the term “Boundless” to convey the further
thought that Nature is indeterminate-boundless in the
sense that no boundaries between the warm and cold
or the moist and dry regions are originally present
within it(Solomon and Higgins 2010)

Creations and Destruction. According to his sketch of

genesis of the world(cosmogony), the evolution of the
world begins with boundless first differentiates itself
into cold-moist mass surrounded by a roughly
spherical shell of warm-dry.
 Pythagoras
Describe the universe as living embodiment of nature’s
order, harmony, and beauty. He sees our relationship
with the universe involving biophilia(love of other living
things) and cosmophilia (love of other living beings)

Considered as early ecologist

The Chinese cosmic conception, is based on the

assumption that all that happens in the universe is a
continuous whole like a chain of natural consequences.
All universe follow a transitional process due to the
primeval pair, the yin and the yang. The universe does
not proceed onward but revolves without beginning or
end. “There is nothing new under the sun.” Human
being’s happiness lies in his conformity with nature or
tao.
B. Modern Thinkers
◦ Immanuel Kant
 Critique of Judgement
Expresses the beauty is ultimately a symbol of
morality.
We must ignore any practical motives or
inclinations that we have and instead contemplate
the object without being distracted by our
desires(Goldblatt & Brown 2010)
The stance that we take forward the beautiful
object is similar to that which we take toward other
human beings when we are properly respectful of
their dignity.
The beautiful encourage us to believe that nature
and humanity are part of an even bigger design.
  The concept of a larger design, the belief in an
ultimate goal in which every aspect of the
sensible world has its place in a larger purpose,
draws our thoughts toward a supersensible
reality.

• Kant believes that the orderliness of

nature and the harmony of nature with our
faculties guides us toward a deeper
religious perspective. This vision of the
world is not limited to knowledge and
freedom or even to faith. It is a sense of
cosmic harmony
 Herbert Marcuse
◦ Humanity had dominated nature. There can only
be change if we will change our attitude towards
our perception of the environment.

 George Herbert Mead

◦ As human beings, we do not have only rights but
duties. We are not only citizens of the
community but how we react to this community
and in our reactions to it, change it.
Show that Care for the
Environment
Contributes to Health,
Well-being, and
Sustainable
Development
 A. Deep Ecology
 Ecological Crisis is an outcome of anthropocentrism.
The controlling attitude of humankind is extended to
nature, when in fact, humanity is part of nature. Deep
ecologists encourage humanity to shift away from
anthropocentrism
 B. Social Ecology
 Ecological crisis results from authoritarian social
structures. Destroying nature is a reflection wherein few
people overpower others while exploiting the
environment for profit or self-interest. Social ecologists
call for small-scale societies, which recognize that
humanity is linked with well-being of the natural world
in which human life depends.
 Ecofeminism
 Ecological crisis is a consequence of male
dominance, In this view, whatever is “superior” is
entitled to whatever is “inferior”. Male traits for
anthropocentric model and Female traits in the
Ecocentric model. Dominion works by forcing the
other to conform to what is superior. Nature must
be tamed, ordered, and submit to the will of the
superior. For adherents of this view, freeing nature
and humanity means removing the superior vs.
Inferior in human relations.

 These theories value the care, conservation,

preservation of nature, and humanity. Our search
for the meaning of life must explore not just our
own survival but call for a new socio-ecological
disorder
 Erich Fromm(2013)- believes that it is about time that
 . humanity ought to recognize not only itself but also the
world around it. As human beings, our biological urge for
survival turns into selfishness and laziness. It is also
inherent in us to escape the prison cell of selfishness.

• The human desires to experience union with others is

one of the strongest motivators of human behaviour and
the other desire for survival. From these two
contradictory strivings in every human being, it follows
that the social structure, it values and norms, decides
which of the two become dominant. Cultures that foster
the greed for possession are rooted in one human
potential. Cultures that foster being and sharing are
rooted in the other potential. We must decide which of
these two potentials to cultivate
1.How is philosophy relevant in
thinking about the human being’s
relationship with the environment?

2.Fromm argues that as human, it is

also inherent in us to escape the
prison cell of selfishness

3. Compare the importance of

nature from the ancient to the
modern era.
Demonstrate the
Virtues of Prudence
and Frugality toward
Environment
Erich Fromm
- proposed a new society that should encourage
the emergence of a new human being that will foster
prudence and moderation or frugality toward environment.

1. The willingness to give up all forms of having, in order

to fully be.
2. Being fully present where one is.
3. Trying to reduce greed, hate, and illusions as much as
one is capable
4. Making the full growth of oneself and one’s fellow
beings as the supreme goal of living.
5. Not deceiving others, but also not being deceived by
others; one maybe called innocent but not naive.
6. Freedom that is not arbitrariness but the possibility to
be oneself, not as a bundle of greedy desires, but as a
delicately balanced structure that at any moment is
confronted with the alternatives of growth or decay, life or
death.

7. Happiness in the process of ever-growing aliveness,

whatever the furthest point is that fate permits one to
reach, for living as fully as one can is so satisfactory that
the concern for what one might or might not attain has
little chance to develop.

8. Joy comes that comes from giving and sharing, not

from hoarding and exploiting.
9. Developing one’s capacity for love, together with
one’s capacity for critical, unsentimental thought.

10. Shedding one’s narcissism and accepting that tragic

limitations inherent in human existence.

If all these sectors agree on the same goals, the possibility

of change would seem to be considerably greater,
especially since most citizens have become less and less
interested in party, loyalty and slogan
Carbon Footprint
 A carbon footprint is historically defined as "the total
set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an
[individual, event, organisation, product] expressed
as CO2e.“

 The total carbon footprint cannot be calculated because

of the large amount of data required and the fact that
carbon dioxide can be produced by natural occurrences.
It is for this reason that Wright, Kemp, and Williams,
writing in the journal Carbon Management, have
suggested a more practicable definition:
 A measure of the total amount of carbon
dioxide(CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions of a
defined population, system or activity, considering
all relevant sources, sinks and storage within the
spatial and temporal boundary of the population,
system or activity of interest. Calculated
as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) using the
relevant 100-year global warming
potential (GWP100).Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
can be emitted through transport, land clearance,
and the production and consumption of food,
fuels, manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads,
buildings, and services. For simplicity of reporting,
it is often expressed in terms of the amount
of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other
GHGs, emitted.