INTRODUCTION TO

THE PHILOSOPHY
OF THE HUMAN
PERSON
Lesson 4: The Human Person in the
Environment
 Objectives:

1. To prove into a distinct frame about gaining

valuable insights regarding the human person in
the environment
2. To demonstrate the virtues of prudence and
frugality toward his/her environment
3. Appreciate the beauty of nature
4. Introduction
 “What is the world made off?”, How did the world
come into being?”, and “How can we explain the
process of change?” were philosophical questions
already brought up approximately 600 B.C.E. in the
Western Ionia seaport town of Miletus across the
Aegean Sea from Athens, Greece.
 Because Ionia was a meeting place between the East
and West, Greek philosophy may have Oriental as
well as Egyptian and Babylonian influences.
 In both East and West, philosophers were asking
questions about the universe we live in and our place
in it.
 Eastern sages (wise) probed nature’s depths intuitively
through the eyes of the spiritual sages, while Greek
thinkers viewed nature through cognitive and scientific
eyes (Price 2000).
 The speculations of the pre-Socratic philosophers
represent a paradigm shift – a change from the mythical
explanation of the origins of the cosmos to a more
rational explanation.
 These philosophers were looking for the underlying laws
of nature.
 They wanted to understand the processes by studying
nature itself, not by listening to stories about the gods.
 Though not as sophisticated in the 21st century
standard, the pre-Socratic philosophers do represent
the first intellectual and scientific attempt to
understand the origins of the universe.
 Consider these two frameworks (Payne 2010):

Figure 4.1. Anthropocentric Model

Human
Culture
Individualism
Mind
Calculative
Human over/against environment
Global/Technogical
Figure 4.2. Ecocentric Model
Nature
Wild
Holism
Nature/cosmos
Body
Relational
Earth/wisdom
Ecology over/against humans
 There are different views or concepts on nature or the
environment from which debates or researches can be
framed and reframed.
 Based on the 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 (Payne 2009).
 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.
 Every day, we experience or hear of how nature is destroyed
and, thus, there are floods, flash floods, and landslides,
among others.
 Accordingly, this lesson helps the learner look at the
multidimensional concept of being human.
 Our limited understanding of our environment opens for a
need for philosophical investigation of nature, applying
aesthetic and theological dimensions, as well as appreciating
our philosophical reflections with the concept of nature itself.
 In the early lessons, we have the underlying qualities of
human being as holistic and transcendental.
 Not only should we value the concepts of other people but
to consider carefully, the moral, ethical, political, cultural
and ecological realities of where we are situated in. (PT-
Answer Guided Learning, page 71 - ½ crosswise – 20 pts. )
4.1. Notice Disorder in the Universe
 The domination 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.
 From this view, it follows that human arrogance toward
nature is justifiable in order to satisfy human interests.
 Sometimes, humans adopt an exploitative attitude
whenever nature is merely considered as an instrument
for one’s profit or gain.
 For example, quarrying or cutting down age old trees
could justify our exploitative attitude toward nature.
 Current researches by Zimmerman (1994), Elgin
(2009), and Pettman (2012) to name a few, exposed
the environmental consequence of international
politico-economic 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 oxide
that are part of the production goods and services
consumed in many countries.
 Studies reveal that the higher the income, there is
substantial change in consumption patterns, which
result to higher CF.
 Carbon footprint has eight categories:
1. Construction
2. Shelter
3. Food
4. Clothing
5. Mobility
6. Manufactured goods
7. Services
8. Trade
 The Ecocentric model in Figure 4.2, in contrast, 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.
 For instance, in the ecocentric model, land will be
considered not an instrumental mode of production but
will be preserved with integrity, stability, and beauty.
 It is incorrect when it tends otherwise.
 Ifhumanity overworks the soil and substitute
domesticated species of plants and animals for wild
ones, human made changes that threaten the health of
nature.
 Unlike changes in the evolutionary process, our human
interventions have swift and even, violent effect on
nature.
 A study blames human activities for drastic decline in
wildlife population.
 Due to hunting and fishing, 52% of wildlife population
deteriorated. Whether nature can adapt to these
changes and self renew becomes a vague issue.
 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 honors the right of all life forms to live,
flourish, and create a rich diversity of human and
nonhuman life.
 For ecologists, the right to live and blossom should not just
be for human beings but must be valid to all forms of life.
 This belief stems from an awareness of our dependence to
other forms of life, not a master-slave relationship.
4.2 Notice Things that Are not Their Proper Place
and Organize Them in an Aesthetic Way
A. Ancient Thinkers
 Early Greek philosophers, the Milesians, regarded
Nature as spatially without boundaries, that is, an
infinite or indefinite in extent.
 One ancient thinker, Anaximander, employed the term
“boundaries” 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 & Higgins 2010).
 Creation and Destruction. According to
Anaximander’s sketch of the genesis of the world
(cosmogony), the evolution of the world begins with
the generation of opposites in a certain region of
Nature: a portion of the boundless first differentiates
itself into a cold-moist mass surrounded by a roughly
spherical shell of the
warm-dry.
 Once the warm-dry has been separated out,
surrounding the cold-moist, it begins to evaporate the
moisture of the latter, and this process forms a
vaporous atmosphere.
 Eventually, the expanding vapor or steam bursts the
enclosing fiery shells into rings, and rushing outward,
envelopes them.
 The opposite forces caused an imbalance that
necessitated their ultimate destruction (Price 2000).
 What appear to us as heavenly bodies are in reality
parts of the fiery rings that we glimpse through
openings left in their steamy, vaporous envelopes.
 The revolution of the stars, sun, and moon around the
central earth is n reality the rotation of the vapor-
enveloped rings of fire.
 Another ancient philosopher, Pythagoras, described
the universe as living embodiment of nature’s order,
harmony, and beauty.
 He sees our relationship with the universe revolving
biophilia (love of other living things) and cosmophilia
(love of other living beings). Perhaps, we could
consider the early him as an ecologist.
 The Chinese cosmic conception, on the other hand, is
based on the assumption that all that happens in the
universe is a continuous whole like a chain of natural
consequences.

 All events in the universe follow a transitional process
due to the primeval pair, the yang and the yin.
 The universe does not proceed onward but revolves
without beginning or end.
 There is nothing new under the sun; the “new” is a
repetition of the old (Quito 1991).
 Human being’s happiness lies in his conformity with
nature or tao; the wise, therefore, conforms with tao
and is happy.
B. Modern Thinkers
 In his third critique, Critique of Judgment, Immanuel Kant
expresses that beauty is ultimately a symbol of morality
(Kant 1997).
 According to Kant, we must ignore ay practical motives or
inclinations that we have and instead contemplate the
object without being distracted by our desires (Goldblatt &
Brown 2010).
 For instance, one should not be tempted to plunge into the
water in a seascape portrait.
 In a sense, therefore, the stance that we take forward the
beautiful object is similar to that which we take toward
other human beings when we are properly respected of
their dignity.
 The beautiful encourage us to believe that nature and
humanity are part of an even bigger design.
 This sense of order in a beautiful object is not translatable
into a formula or a recipe. Rather, 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.
 Ultimately, Kant believes that the orderliness of nature and
the harmony of nature with our faculties guide us toward a
deeper religious perspective.
 This vision of the world is not limited to knowledge and
freedom or even to faith, in the ordinary sense of the term.
It is a sense of cosmic harmony.
 Understanding our relationship with the environment
can also refer to the human beings with ecology and
nature.
 For Herbert Marcuse, humanity had dominated nature.
 There can only be change if we will change our attitude
towards our perception of the environment.
 Moreover, for George 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 reaction to it, change
it.
 Consider this American Indian prayer (see page 80-PT: Make a
reflection=1/2 crosswise = 20 pts.)
4.3 Show that Care for the Environment Contributes
to Health, Well-being, and Sustainable
Development
 There are numerous theories to show care for the
environment aside from the ecocentric model such as
deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism to
name some.
A. Deep Ecology
 For this theory, ecological crisis is an outcome of
anthropocentrism, which is already discussed.
 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 to ecocentrism.
B. Social Ecology
 For this theory, 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 the well-being
of the natural world in which human life depends.
C. Ecofeminism
 This theory argues that ecological crisis is a
consequence of male dominance.
 Inthis view, whatever is “superior” is entitled to
whatever is “inferior.”
 Male traits as in the anthropocentric model are
superior as opposed to female traits as in the
ecocentric model.
 Dominion works by forcing the other to conform to
what is superior.
 For the 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 calls for a new socio-
ecological order.
 Erich Fromm (2013), a German humanistic
philosopher, believes that it is about time that
humanity ought to recognize not only itself but also
the world around it.
 For Fromm, as human beings, our biological urge for
survival turns into selfishness and laziness.
 Fromm argues that as humans, it is also inherent in us
to escape the prison cell of selfishness.
 The human desire to experience union with others is one of
the strongest motivators of human behavior and the other
is the desire for survival.
 From these two contradictory strivings in every human
being, it follows that the social structure, its values and
norms, decides which of the two becomes 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
(Fromm 2013).
 Written Work: Answer page 84 Guided Learning A-C
(10 pts each=30 pts)
4.4 Demonstrate the Virtues of Prudence and
Frugality toward Environment
 Arising from the discussions, Fromm (2013) proposed a
new society that should encourage the emergence of a new
human being that will foster prudence and moderation or
frugality toward environment.
 These are some of the functions of Fromm’s envisioned
society:
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 of one’s fellow
beings as the supreme goal of loving.
5. Not deceiving others, but also not being deceived by
others; one may be called innocent, but not naïve.
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. Joy that comes from giving and sharing, not from
hoarding and exploiting.
8. Developing one’s capacity for love, together with
one’s capacity for critical, unsentimental thought.
9. Shedding one’s narcissism and accepting that tragic
limitations inherent in human existence.
 The ideals of this society cross all party lines; for
protecting nature needs focused conservation, action,
political will, and support from industry.
 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 slogans.

 PT-Answer Guided Learning, page 86 (1-3) – ½ crosswise

(10 pts each = 30 pts.)
END OF TOPIC