Ethical principles Natural is good. Harmony with nature, finding and following your natural dao, is the way to live a long and happy life Wu-wei non-action, or action without striving be like water or a supple tree (flowing and flexible) or like a clod of earth or an uncarved block (simple and unsophisticated) Peaceful and non-violent Individualistic and anti-government

Environmental Implications Nature is good and natural processes are respected. Harmonious sustainable relationship with nature is sought. Animals and plants all their own daos and their own role in the Great Dao. Consumerism and all types of material greed are devalued, thus harm to the environment should be minimized. But: Can be fatalistic and passive. Non-action may minimize environmental problems, but unlikely to help solve environmental crises (i.e. not very compatible with activism)

Commonality among (Zen) Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism Focus on relations, rather than individuals People are defined by their relations with others and, perhaps, to nature Ethics is highly relational as well Contrasts with both dualism and individualism Holistic rather than analytical An ecological perspective

The Place of Homo sapiens in Nature

Evolution Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Developed the theory of evolution while traveling on the Beagle in the Galapagos Islands. In 1859 published: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (usually referred to as “The Origin of Species”) Descent with variation, survival of the fittest The individuals most well-adapted to their environment survive and leave the most descendants. The survival of those that survive. C19th anti-Darwin cartoon

Readings for next week Required: Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, Chapter 6: “The roots of morality: why are we good?”, on reserve in the Philosophy Department office