Original scientific paper
MORE-THAN-HUMAN-WORLD. DEEP ECOLOGY AS ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
Tomislav Markus
; Hrvatsi institut za povijest, Zagreb
Abstract
The author analyzes predominant opinions in the field of deep ecology as environmental philosophy. Deep ecology represents the form of a radical environmental critique of the technological civilisation, because it criticizes its fundamental values - technolatry (religious idolatry of technology), anthropocentrism (the conception that only people have values), instrumentalism and resourcism (the conception that nature is "a raw material storehouse"), consumerism (equalizing welfare and atomization of consumption of technological innovations and bombshells of mass media), linear progressivism (views on the existence of historical and social progress, that culminates with the modern civilisation) etc. Deep ecology is inspired by ecology as a scientific discipline, but aspires to develop environmental wisdom, which includes the respect of non-human world, immanent value of all existing things and beings, eco-centrism, eco-regionalism, decline of human demographic and technological intervention, reduction of mobility, interconnectedness of all existing things, the principle that nature knows the best, spiritually rich and materially modest living etc. Some of more frequent and significant deficiencies in the works of deep ecologists are cataclysmic tones with overestimating human technological influence, indirect revival of the dualism man/nature, non-discernment of traditional-spiritual and modern technical anthropocentrism, unclear concept of "intrinsic values", overestimated optimism in connection with the new eco-centric paradigm, ambivalent attitudes about modern civilisation etc.
Keywords
deep ecology; nature; anthropocentrism; eco-centrism; technology; self-realisation; eco-regionalism
Hrčak ID:
47894
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2003.
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