Beautiful, isn't it? It's your home and mine, planet earth, profusely adorned with a wondrous diversity of life. We humans are just one fragile thread interwoven among innumerable others, making up the whole vibrant fabric. As a human being currently alive within it all, I'm deeply interested in understanding our specifically human response to the condition of biological existence.
Humanity is engaged in an intimate emergent relationship with the totality of earthly life. Is it a relationship of long-term harmony or is it an abusive relationship of conflict and hurt?
The
self-awarded species name “Homo Sapiens Sapiens” (Man the Very
Wise) amounts to a pretentious boast of our own sagacity. A
mere glance at the patterns of behavior displayed by our species
however, makes this claim to wisdom highly questionable.
Certainly
we observe the universe around us, using reason and experiment to
gathered knowledge about the structure and function of things. With
knowledge has come extraordinary power to reshape the world for the
satisfaction of human desires.
Generally
it is considered good to acquire reliable knowledge as a valuable
basis for informed decision-making. The difficulty is that both knowledge
and the power that comes with it can be used in foolish destructive
ways.
That's
really where wisdom comes in. Wisdom is vitally important as a guide
to the way knowledge and power should best be used.
* * * *
* * * *
Earth
is home to life.
Thus "ecology" is the study of and knowledge about the home,
while "philosophy" is the appreciation and pursuit of wisdom.
The title of this post, "Ecosophy" is a neologism coined by the Norwegian philosopher (and mountaineer), Arne Naess to convey the concept of "ecological wisdom".
while "philosophy" is the appreciation and pursuit of wisdom.
The title of this post, "Ecosophy" is a neologism coined by the Norwegian philosopher (and mountaineer), Arne Naess to convey the concept of "ecological wisdom".
 |
| Arne Naess |
“The
word ''ecology'' originates from the science of biology, where it is
used to refer to the ways in which living things interact with each
other and with their surroundings. For Arne Naess, ecological
science, concerned with facts and logic alone, cannot answer ethical
questions about how we should live. For this we need ecological
wisdom. Deep ecology seeks to develop this by focussing on deep
experience, deep questioning and deep commitment. These constitute an
interconnected system. Each gives rise to and supports the other,
whilst the entire system is, what Naess would call, an ecosophy: an
evolving but consistent philosophy of being, thinking and acting in
the world, that embodies ecological wisdom and harmony.”
from: Deep Ecology
* * * *
In my view, humankind has a home in the natural world. It's where we truly belong. Tragically, we have become mired in a position of antagonistic estrangement from the complex system of nature that actually sustains our life.
Although it's unclear whether such an unhealthy relationship can ever be healed, the insights of Ecosophy offer a glimmer of hope.
Maybe there is a chance that people might awaken to the sheer destructive folly of seeking to dominate and exploit the world around us. Perhaps we can learn to change our ways, working toward amicable participation in the community of life.
from: Deep Ecology
* * * *
In my view, humankind has a home in the natural world. It's where we truly belong. Tragically, we have become mired in a position of antagonistic estrangement from the complex system of nature that actually sustains our life.
Although it's unclear whether such an unhealthy relationship can ever be healed, the insights of Ecosophy offer a glimmer of hope.
Maybe there is a chance that people might awaken to the sheer destructive folly of seeking to dominate and exploit the world around us. Perhaps we can learn to change our ways, working toward amicable participation in the community of life.
 |
| Destructive Exploitation: Alberta Tarsands |
