EMMANUEL SYSTEM COLLEGE OF BULACAN INC.

Sisilad St. Sto. Cristo, Pulilan, Bulacan

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

APPROCHES TO UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE HUMAN

PERSON WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

OBJECTIVES:
1. Demonstrate understanding of the interplay between the human person and his/her
environment.
2. Show the care for environment contributes to health, well-being and sustainable
development.
3. Determine the things that are improperly placed and organize them in an aesthetic way.

“You think you own whatever land you land on” The earth is just a dead thing you can
claim. But I know that every rock and sea and creature has a life, has a spirit, has name”
-Stephen Schwartz-

We shall schematize the different approaches of understanding our relationship with the
environment into 3 main approaches.

1. COSMOS-CENTRIC APPROAC

In the earlier civilizations, human beings understood themselves as being in harmony

with nature. The whole of the cosmos is one whole system of order of which we are a
part. Early Greek and Chinese philosophers have articulated this harmony in their
poetry and reflections. We recall in our discussions in chapter one how the early
Greek philosophers were focused on finding the “basic stuff” of the universe. This
means that they understood everything in the universe to be united by one basic
element. This is what relates everything together. For Thales, he said, it was water.
For other philosopher, it was air, music or numbers. What this establishes is that early
civilizations understood everything to be interconnected, and that whatever we do
with one part of the environment affects everything else.

2. THEOCENTRIC APPROACH
Theo (God)-centric approach refers to an understanding coming from a religious
interpretation. This especially applies to the Judeo-Christian tradition as specified
in the creation story. The story relates that after creating the world, and all that is
 in it, including man and woman, God said “Go and multiply: fill the earth and
subdue it. “The first man, Adam, was given the power over the rest of creation.
The creation story tells of how God entrusted the earth to man and woman by
giving them the role of stewards of creation.
It is important to stress the meaning of stewardship here. To stewards over
something is to manage or to put something under your care. In Filipino, to be a
steward is to be katulong or katiwala. It is important to stress this in order to
prevent the tendency or interpreting scripture, “..fill the earth and subdue it,” as a
welcome note to dominate and completely lord over environment.
3. ANTROPOCENTRIC APPROACH
This approach, antropos (man) + centric, is like the theocentric approach that puts
the human person in domination over the earth, but de-emphasizes the role of God.
This dominant approach began the sixteenth century in Europe and has become the
most widely used all over the world until today. It started with the rise of
experimental sciences. To understand this approach, let’s recall our lessons in the
elementary science when we had to conduct a experiments in our science class.

Summary

Our relationship with our environment has evolved throughout history. During the pre-
modern times we situated ourselves as an integral part of the universe, created in the
same ‘stuff’ as the other things in nature, and governed by the same natural laws and
cosmic patterns. As much, humans have tried to maintain the balance and harmony with
nature (Cosmos-centric approach). Later on, human believed that we were God’s co-
creators and stewards of the rest of creation, given the authority to responsibly use
creation for their needs and, at the same time, the responsibility to take good care of them
for the generations to come(theocentric approach). During the modern era and up to the
present, science dominated the landscape: we discovered that we have the ability to
control and tame nature to meet our desires (anthropocentric approach). This however led
to unabated destruction of the natural world to meet our unquenchable needs. Our goal
now is assess ourselves and find the right approach in dealing with nature in order to save
whatever is left of it, before it is too late.
Activity

1. List the things that you did the whole day. Take note of the products you used, the
things you bought, the things you threw away. Which among them do you think had an
impact on the environment (either positive or negative)

2. Looking back at your activities today, what would you have done otherwise to
reverse whatever you did that harmed the environment?

Activity 2

Interview your parents and ask the following questions

1. What are the things that you remember in your environment when you were in my
age?
2. What are the things that you like doing when you were young?
3. What are the positive and negative changes in the environment?
4. Do you think environment plays a vital role in a person’s development? Why?
Why not?

Activity 3

1. Personally, how you regard the things in the environment? As objects to make life
more comfortable? As means to fulfill you’re your needs? As a gift? Explain your
answer.

2. What does “observe prudence and frugality towards the environment” mean to you?

3. What is your opinion regarding the various environment movements your hear about?
Do you think their movements create a big impact in saving our natural environment
from total destruction.

Ms. Dyana Rose G.Rivera

Philosophy Teacher