Original scientific paper

SOME BASIC DILEMMAS OF ECOLOGICAL ETHICS

Andrej Kirn ; Faculty of Social Sciences, Ljubljana

Abstract

The relation between nature and society directly determines the possibility of establishing an ecological ethics. The relation to nature has always implied also the relation towards men and inversely. An “efficient” use of nature begins with submitting of a man by another man. Contemporary processes of technological and ecological globalization do not dissolve this historical relation between man and nature, but elevate it on a higher level and give it a new form. There have been three important historical socioecological transformations: the paleolithic, the neolithic and the industrial. The mankind is now entering a fourth, post–industrial and postmodern period, which transcends the traditional oppositon between nature and society leading towards a complete dissolution of society within nature (naturalism), and inversely – towards the dissolution of nature within society (social constructivism of nature). A complete naturalization the social excludes and makes impossible the ecological ethics. The intrinsic ecological ethics can be conceived both instrumentally and anthopocentrically. The predominance of anthopocentricity has begun with modernism and enlightment, as man startred to be understood even more as a subject – as a basis of the all being.

Keywords

anthropocentricity; instrinsic and instrumental ecological ethics; nature; society

Hrčak ID:

141645

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/141645

Publication date:

15.5.1998.

Article data in other languages: croatian german

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