THE HUMAN PERSON AND THE ENVIRONMENT

What makes environment important?

 Heraclitus, a Western philosopher in ancient period once argued that the world is in constant
change.
 Many of us may not know it, but our environment undergoes an unending process of
transformation.
 It is important that we have to be aware of these environmental risks, their causes and their
harmful effects to us so that we will be able to address.
 Environmental problems
 Air pollution
 Water pollution
 Acid rain
 Climate change
 Deforestation
 Depletion of natural resources
 Depletion of ozone layer
 Waste pollution
 Acidification and increase in sea/ocean temperature
 Overpopulation

These environmental problems have also damaged billions of properties, destroyed infrastructure,
agricultural and livelihood facilities, and killed thousands of people.

PHILOSOPHYCAL APPROACHES TO ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY

 Deals with the balance of nature (relationship)

 Also encompasses the study of the human person’s role in his/her environment
 Interaction and responsibility of human person
 Coexisting with one another

DEEP ECOLOGY

 By Arne Naess, Sigmund Kvaloy and Nils Faarlund(1973)

 Affirms the principle that things in the world have intrinsic value
 Strongly rejects the anthropocentric view
 Everything has a value
 “ecological selves” is one that mature, sensitive, and caring towards the environment
 We are dependent and not detached from the environment.

SOCIAL ECOLOGY

 Developed by Murrey Bookchin, an American anarchist and environmentalist

  Claims that all environmental problems that we are experiencing at present are social problems
 Relationship of human being and nature
 Ethic of complementary
 Mutual dependence and cooperation between humans and the environment
 Call us to protect and preserve our environment

TRANSPERSONAL ECOLOGY

 Developed by Warwick Fox in 1990

 Explains aspects of human self
 Cause and possible outcomes
 Desiring-impulsive self - wants “ako muna” “bahala na kayo”)
 Normative-judgmental self - behave
 Utilized things
 Rationalizing-deciding self – makes decision, pros and cons of our actions