The Comparative Study Of Taoist Ecological Ideology And Western Environmental Ethics

The study of Taoist ecological ideology is the product of the combination of the modern transformation of Chinese traditional culture and the construction of ecological civilization,and the environmental ethics thought is the product of human’s reflection on the moral relationship between human and nature.The environmental ethics contained in Taoism has a great enlightening effect on the healthy development of Environmental ethics,and the Environmental ethics born in the West has become the ideological guidance for the establishment of international environmental ethics under the environment of ecological crisis and globalization.The comparative study can promote the development of the two.Taoist ecological thought is based on Taoist philosophy.In terms of the fundamental relationship between man and nature,Taoism holds the ethical attitude of "the Unity of Heaven and Man".In the concept of "the Unity of Heaven and Man",Taoism refers to nature as "Heaven",and believe that a dialectical and unity relationship between "Heaven" and man." Heaven" restricts and guides human beings,and for "Heaven",human beings should make proper use of subjective initiative,that is,conform to the laws of nature,and realize the real value of human beings.In this way,man and nature achieve a harmonious development of the situation.In the fundamental principle of generating and maintaining the relationship between man and nature,Taoism takes "Respecting Tao and Valuing De" as its guiding method.Taoism believes that "Tao gives birth to all things",which reflects the ontological consciousness of ecological equality.In moral principle,Taoism follows the fundamental standpoint of "Follow nature’s course",and carries out specific moral cultivation through " approaching Tao with De".Environmental ethics originated in the west.Starting from the environmentalism movement and the resistance to the anthropocentrism,it has gone through several stages of gestation,formation,establishment and development,and formed the diversified and multi-level western Environmental ethics today.There are basic schools such as Animal rights theory,Biocentrism,Ecocentrism and Modern Anthropocentrism,as well as Deep Ecology which has emerged in recent years.In the early stage,the focus of Chinese Environmental ethics research was the translation and introduction of foreign Environmental ethics research results.Later,it gradually developed into Environmental ethics with Chinese characteristics and had a closer connection with the study of traditional culture.In the comparative study of Taoist ecological thought and environmental ethics thought,according to the basic elements of ethics,it can be divided into the comparison of natural value,the comparison of moral rights and the comparison of moral obligations.First of all,the comparison of natural value is mainly divided into the Taoist value of "the Use of the Useless" and the western environmental ethics on intrinsic value,and the Taoist ecological holism and Ecocentrism.Secondly,the comparison between the Taoist thought of "Advice to be kind,Respect for life" and the theory of natural rights in Environmental ethics,as well as the comparison between the Taoist thought and the western Environmental ethics on human’s natural rights,constitutes the comparison of moral rights.Finally,the comparison of moral obligation focuses on the attribution of Taoist anthropocentrism.In practice,classical Taoism and medieval Taoism also show rich environmental ethics.Taoist philosophy standardizes people’s moral practice by means of ideological guidance,which constitutes the norms in the process of environmental ethics practice by "Knowing to stop" and "Returning to simplicity","Being humble" and "Not arguing".Taoism as a religion has a realistic symbol,the environmental ethics itself is practical,according to the different ways of practice,concrete can be reflected by the temple environmental protection,ritual environmental protection.In conclusion,it is found that both in theory and in practice,Taoism shows a healthy environmental ethics,which is capable of serving the modern society even though it is divorced from tradition society.Because of the enthusiasm,advancement and universality of Taoist ecological ideology,it will play an important role in the construction of modern environmental ethics.