Ecology And Anthropocentrism

The paper tries to make a tentative analysis of the relationship between"Ecology and Anthropocentrism."This thesis has a thorough understanding of anthropocentrism through the investigation and research of the existing literature. Anthropocentrism is a kind of world outlook and values; it holds the idea that"human-centeredness".Till now, people's criticism and reflection on anthropocentrism are based on"the changing status of human beings in the nature"as the logical starting point. Therefore, the paper has tried to turn the logical starting point to ecology and make a further analysis of anthropocentrism from ecological perspective. By the explanation of ecology, we have a new understanding of anthropocentrism. So far, the author strives to make a specific analysis and evaluation of anthropocentrism and concludes that the relationship between ecology and anthropocentrism-------anthropocentrism is untenable under the ecology visual field.The paper is divided into three parts. The first part which is the introduction describes significance of studying anthropocentrism's thought and the current situation of the project at home and abroad. Although studying anthropocentrism's thought has important theoretical significance and realistic significance to studying environmental ethics, ecological ethics, ecological philosophy, and ecological aesthetics, we lack of research on anthropocentrism in range and quality at home and abroad.The second part mainly discusses the formation and development processes of anthropocentrism. Its theory thought and the practice has finally been completed in western countries. In the west, from genesis to Christian to modern times, anthropocentrism has been puzzling philosophers."Man is the scale of everything"in ancient Greece is the earliest representation of this thought. Creationism of medieval Christian doctrine has further strengthened the thought. Later on, Kant's rational viewpoint has perfected anthropocentrism, while traditional anthropocentrism starts from human's perceptual desire and carries on the claim to the nature through the naked way to achieve the desired goal. Especially, since the 20th century, driven by the development of science and technology, the intensity and scope of human activity are increasingly enlarged, resulting in a global environmental crisis. Human beings, therefore, began to awaken and reflect on the once proud anthropocentrism, adjusting the relationship between man and nature and reviewing human position in front of nature. As a result, there appeared Norton's weak anthropocentrism, W.H.Murdy's modern anthropocentrism and J.Pasmore & H.J. McCloskey's enlightened anthropocentrism. They advocate from human rational desire to meet human needs. In dealing with the relationship between people and other creatures, people are supposed to assume the responsibility of protecting other non-human beings. Therefore, people gradually adopt a more rational way to nature.The third part mainly studies the anthropocentrism from the ecological perspective. Based on the comprehensive understanding of anthropocentrism, the relationship between ecology and anthropocentrism is considered as the research object. First, this thesis analyzes the origin of ecology and its research object so as to find out the thoughts related with anthropocentrism. Second, based on the study and analysis of the basic rules of Ecology, this thesis aims to make a reasonable comment on anthropocentrism from the perspectives of the integrity of the ecosystem and the ecological balance. Last but not least, through the concrete proof of the argument, the article thinks that ecology is a subject which presents variety and balance and the whole ecosystem constitutes a ecological network. There is no such statement as"centre"in Ecology. Therefore, we conclude that the delicate relationship between ecology and anthropocentrism, that is, anthropocentrism is unacceptable within the framework of ecology. Therefore, one cannot simply say that taking some species or system as the center or core in the ecological thought. To conclude, this thesis holds the idea that anthropocentrism is incompatible with ecology.The fourth part is mainly making a summary on the full text. Based on the above analysis, the paper finds that anthropocentrism which contains ecological consciousness does not accord with ecology requirement. Therefore, anthropocentrism is not reasonable. This is the author's view and the conclusion of the paper.