Towards Happiness:Double Liberation Of Man And Nature

The direct consequence of developed industrial society is the ecological crisis. Ecological crisis leads directly to the crisis of human existence. As a witness of the western developed industrial social development, Marcuse explored the problem of the relationship between man and nature in different dimensions and different perspectives. Because of modern morality’s materialization and the instrument-like characteristics of techniques, natural alienation also brings human nature alienation and the alienation between the relationship of man and nature. Based on the overall development of man, Marcuse believed that human morality view should not only stay in the perspective of traditional anthropocentrism, but also should extend to the entire ecosystem and build interspecific ethics of the harmonious relationship between man and nature. It is as a way to safeguard the overall interests of man. Through the criticism to the single-side characteristics of the capitalism modern political structures for trumpeting purely utilitarian values, ignoring the natural main morality, it embodies Marcuse’s dimension of "politics-ecological ethics". Through the criticism to the modern industrial civilization’s indiscriminate attacks on nature’s technology rationality of rational basis, it embodies Marcuse’s dimension of "technology-ecological ethics". Through putting forward the theory that the double value of intrinsic nature and the external nature of man should be respected and, on this basis, we are able to get double liberation. It embodies Marcuse’s dimension of "nature-ecological ethics". Through philosophical reflection and criticism of ecological ethics dimension, it integrates science and technology, man and nature’s dialectical relationship and in substance, the life and the spirit, the three levels are fully on the criticism to the aggression and repression of capitalist developed industrial society to the man and nature; through the correction to the dislocation of the rational structure of western developed industrial society and the perversion of moral consciousness structure, in the moral care dimension of human existence unit, it highlights the value of nature to the man. And the priority dimension of human rationality power raises the imagination of the reconstruction to build a harmonious world between man and nature. It provides the basis for human existence and the meaning of human existence ecological theory. It also reflects Marcuse’s interest, aim and dimension of "aesthetic-ecological ethics". By means of philosophy turning of the dimension of ecological ethics, Marcuse not only looked forward to rebuilding the theoretical foundation of harmonious relationship between man and nature in the criticism of philosophy, the natural moral status, but also achieved the theoretical transcendence of philosophical anthropology in the overall ecological ethics exploring of the harmony between man and nature, coexistence and mutual prosperity and getting close to each other and fusing each other. It not only expresses the human inherent negation and transcending spirit in reflection and criticism, opposition and planning, but also consciously combines with human metaphysics pursuing in self-criticism and transcendence. It magnifies the ecological ethics in the historical process of human wholeness generation. It advances human double sides return from the dimension of time and space dialectically and makes the seeking of double liberation of man and nature as the characterization of human happy survival and poetic dwelling. In overcoming the alienation between man and nature, it makes effort to retrieve the harmony, which is blocked by the advanced industrial societies, between man and nature and the combination of human critical spirit and metaphysical spirit. Marcuse’s philosophical modern anthropology turning which means that ecological ethics is the way to solve the ecological crisis of the historic choice dimension under the mode of capitalist industrialized civilization. This not only makes his theory horizon broader but also makes it more deeply, thoroughly, and has distinctive modern anthropocentric features and anthropology implication. Although many of them has utopian colors, but it showed a concern for the real ecological status of man, for ethical consciousness between man and nature, for embarking on human wholeness, it has universal and profound practical significance.This article follows the research way, combing the problem in historical studies, refining perspective in text reading and constructing the system in real reflection. This article makes efforts to tap Marcuse’s ecology view point which littered in many texts. It elucidates its potential ecological ethics systematically in the study of the following aspects.The first problem is the basic problem of this thesis. That is why Marcuse made the criticism to capitalism by philosophy turn into an ecological ethics dimension. This is the key issues of this thesis and this is also the starting point to understand the ecological ethics theory of Marcuse correctly. The solution to this problem is included social background and theoretical origins of ecological ethics thoughts’ birth from Marcuse and how to use the perspective of ecological ethics to examine contemporary developed industrial capitalist society. Therefore, this paper begins from the tension relationship between man and nature caused by the global ecological crisis. And on the basis of inheritance and development of Marx’s thoughts, it commences the study of ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse and shows ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse from a different dimension. That not only accords with the thinking way of the study of ecological ethics thoughts, but also accords with the research ideas of Western Marxism; it not only embodies Marxian’s theoretical foundation of ecological ethics of Marcuse, but also embodies Marcuse’s strong sense of theoretical reality; it not only makes ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse be presented, but also makes the argument of this article. And it makes preparations for later to reveal the profound and uniqueness of ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse.The second problem in this thesis is to reveal the profound of ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse. The solution to this problem by exploring two dimensions to complete. That is Marcuse’s ecological criticism of advanced capitalist society on depth reflection to the general alienation of advanced industrial society and the cause of the tension relationship between man and nature. By exploring these two dimensions, it not only embodies the turning ideas of ecological ethics of Marcuse, but also reveals the profound and uniqueness of ecological ethics of Marcuse:Construct in the reflection and criticize in construction. You can not only get a glimpse of its declassification to the modern riddle on ecological crisis, but also can appreciate the total characteristics of their thoughts expanding to criticize from political, economic, cultural, artistic and other perspective on the advanced capitalism society. But the ecological criticism of capitalism, which is hidden in these criticisms behind, the attention on the relationship between man and nature, the attention for the future of man are more important critical issues. The crisis can be found, but it does not mean that the crisis can be solved. So the key to resolve the crisis is to be able to reveal the reason which caused by the crisis. Through the reflection of developed industrial society overall alienation, Marcuse revealed the reason of the tension between man and nature. That is, people strengthen the principle of for-itself in the presentation of other systems, production, and lifestyle and so on. Ecological problem is just the presentation of man, man and social ethical issues in the relationship between man and nature. Ecological criticism constitutes the power core of the ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse.The third problem of the thesis is to reveal the path and its ethical values of solving ecological crisis in Marcuse’s ecological ethics thoughts. This is the core of ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse and it is the core content of the thesis, too. The exploration of the ecological crisis’ rescue path and the outlook for the double liberation of man and nature’s prospects is the key of Marcuse’s ecological ethics thoughts. Marcuse strived to seek the path of double liberation of man and nature in the background of the full control of western developed industrial society. He not only introduced liberation theory of ecological ethics dimension to the radical social and political change and technological change, but also introduced the liberation theory to human psychological love and desire liberation and aesthetic liberation. He also found a new revolutionary subject in the new significance, sought reconciliation between man and nature in the overall significance, and thus achieved harmony between man and nature. In the harmony between man and nature, man not only realized the unity of in-itself and for-itself, but also let individual functions be given full play and achieve space of freedom for the full development of man. This not only conformed the pleasure principle of individual satisfaction which Marcuse had championed, but also embodied Marcuse’s pursuit of ultimate concept of human happiness in his lifetime. It not only can eliminate the repression caused by the advanced industrial society to man and nature, but also can restore the double-sided dimension of man both criticism and transcendence. Achieving full liberation of man in poetic dwelling is just what Marcuse wanted to see.The fourth problem in this thesis is to reveal the practical significance and theoretical characteristics in ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse. It is the intent of this thesis. Solving the global ecological crisis is not only Marcuse’s responsibility; it is the responsibility of every contemporary people. Drawing a positive contribution to the theory of ecological ethics thoughts and survival wisdom from Marcuse has important theoretical and practical significance for us to strive to explore harmony between man and nature, actively participate in the construction of harmonious ecology, promote a conservation culture and build a harmonious society. Through the analysis of ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse, we can see it when it is dealing with the relationship between man and nature; it makes efforts to highlight the dominant position and role of man and embodies the important feature of modern anthropocentric ethics. In the process of harmonious ethics construction between man and nature, man and man, man and society, Marcuse had emphasized the role of aesthetic criticism of reality and the future construction of the ideal society and it also reflected the interest and the aim of "aesthetic-ecological ethics". Marcuse’s philosophical turning of ecological ethics dimension inherits Marx’s humanitarian. It is a deep sense of modern anthropology. True that, in this paper, there are still many problems to the ecological ethics thoughts of Marcuse. How to think about Marcuse’s ecological ethic thoughts in a broader horizon and space, it will be my driving force and move on in depth study.