The Human Person In Their Environment

The Human Person in their Environment

Which of the following statements regarding its state are true for you and your community? 1. It is hotter now than it usually was during the summer months. 2. Typhoons are stronger and there is more rain during the rainy season. 3. We experience more flooding in our community. 4. We evacuate our homes more frequently due to natural calamities. 5. Our community is now dirtier and more disorderly compared to the past few years.

Please read. To quote the English poet John Donne, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Explain.

This means that as human persons, we interact not only with our fellow human beings but also with the other living and nonliving elements in our environment.

Like the physical sciences, philosophy also seeks to explore the relationship between humanity and the environment. What is environmental philosophy or environmental ethics ?

Environmental philosophy or environmental ethics is the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings with the environment and it’s non-human contents. Environmental philosophers tackle issues such as humanity’s role in the natural world, the interaction between nature and human activities, and humanity’s response to environmental challenges.

Three major philosophical views regarding the relationship between humanity and the environment

Anthropocentrism – focuses on the significant role of humankind in the world and considers nature as the means by which humans are able to meet their needs and survive. Explain or give example.

Biocentrism – believes that humans are not only significant species on the planet, and that all organism have inherent value and should be protected. What law in the Philippines protect animals?

RA 8485 – The Animal Welfare Act of 1998

Ecocentrism - places 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.

Do you consider your classroom clean and orderly? Will you able to conduct your activities if your classroom is messy and disorganized? As a responsible students and member of the school community, how should you respond to this situation? Environmental aesthetics – is one philosophical view that believes maintaining order in the environment will bring out the natural beauty of the surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people and other organisms living in it. The appreciation of natural beauty brings about concern for the environment and helps people relate more effectively with nature. Give example of government projects which beautifies the environment?

Disorder exits in our environment Can disorder be brought by natural means? How? Disorder can be brought about by sudden changes in nature. For instance, natural calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides bring about destruction in our surroundings. These have great effect on human communities as these disrupt normal activities and result to damages to property and loss of lives. Can disorder be brought by human activities? Give example. Human activities can also bring about disorder in our environment. The human factor can be clearly seen in environmental problems such as pollution, environmental degradation, the depletion of natural resources, global warming, and climate change.

Human actions that contribute to environmental problems include littering and improper use of resources. Communities that do not practice proper waste disposal often have dirty surroundings, with garbage littered on the streets. The accumulating garbage causes flooding and becomes a health hazard because it spreads dirt and disease.

The accumulating garbage causes flooding and becomes a health hazard because it spreads dirt and disease.

Factories often release harmful smoke and fumes into the air, while others dump their waste into nearby bodies of water. These harmful actions contribute to disorder in our environment.

How can humanity address the damage inflicted on the environment? One important development that arose during the late twentieth century was environmentalism. This perspective advocates to address the growing environmental problems. Several ideas and perspectives regarding environmental action have emerged. One important philosophical view from environmentalism is environmental ethics. This is a moral approach that analyzes the relationship between humans and the environment. It also discusses environmental problems caused by human activities and social issues that impact the environment.