Religions and Types of Ecology

Other interpretations of the Genesis Many Christians argue that in the story of Genesis, God sets up a stewardship relation between people and nature. True, man is special, man is made in God’s image, but man’s task is like that of a gardener: to tend nature and care for nature. All natural creatures are inherently valuable because God made them, and while people may make use of animals and plants (as individuals), it is also humanity’s responsibility to protect them (as species). A conservation ethic, rather than a preservation ethic.

The story of the Fall as allegory Many Christians believe that the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is not meant to be a literal account of a historic event, but rather is an allegory. If it is an allegory, what does it mean?

One allegorical interpretation “Adam and Eve” represent early humans. Once our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. They ate fruit and wild grasses. They obeyed their natural instincts (or God’s commands). However, by eating of the Tree of Knowledge, they developed intelligence/awareness/ self-consciousness and they began to exploit nature for their own benefit. As a result, the harmonious relationship between people and nature ended. People began cultivating the land (making bread by the sweat of their faces), eating meat rather than just a vegetarian diet, wearing clothes (to cover their nakedness), and enduring the pain of childbirth (due to the large heads of their big-brained babies).

Loss of innocence is the price we pay for knowledge. Intelligence (knowledge/consciousness) sets us apart from the rest of nature. We have the capacity now for exploiting the rest of nature to a degree far surpassing that of any other creature (which we have used). Solution? Return to natural lifestyle – regress to primitive or even pre-human state, reject self-consciousness, knowledge, science and merge with nature again. 2) Use our knowledge to protect the natural world, or at least minimize our harmful impact. Accept that, while we are animals, we are not mere animals. We have a special responsibility due to our special capacities. Science (knowledge/intelligence) could be both the cause and the cure.

Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274 Italian Catholic priest and philosopher Set out to synthesize Aristotle and Christianity. Brought dualism to Christianity Identified the Prime Mover with the Christian God.

The teleological argument Aquinas used the teleological argument, or argument from design, to prove the existence of God. i.e. Since the universe and everything in it is so perfectly designed (has telos), there must have been a designer – God. Examples of perfect design: Eyes are perfectly designed to enable animals to see. But also: sun and rain are designed to provide nourishment for plants. Etc. The watchmaker analogy.

Natural law ethics Aquinas also argued that since all of nature is the result of God’s plan, what is natural is good. Also, ethics are rooted in the natural order of things, i.e. people didn’t create ethics, God did. Therefore it is in our very nature to know right and wrong and to be held responsible for right and wrong action. Man’s nature (as Aristotle said) is to be rational. The highest good is to realize your natural potential in harmony with nature.

Francis Bacon 1561-1626 English philosopher, essayist and statesman Proponent of the Scientific Revolution Developed the “Baconian Method”, a precursor to the modern scientific method Said: “Knowledge is Power.”

The New Atlantis Written by Bacon in 1626 Utopian novel (i.e. description of a perfect society) Epitomizes Christian exploitative view of nature: nature is to be twisted, distorted, manipulated and deformed in any way possible for the benefit of mankind. Presages modern issues such as genetic engineering, cloning and animal testing But presents all such manipulation and exploitative of nature as unproblematicly good, with no envisioned downside or danger

Quotes from Bacon “Let us establish a chaste and lawful marriage between Mind and Nature…. I am come in very truth leading to you Nature with all her children to bind her to your service and make her your slave.” “They [science and mechanical inventions] do not merely exert a gentle guidance over nature’s course; they have the power to conquer and subdue her to her foundations.”

Reading for next week Suggested: “Argument from Poor Design”, Wikipedia, available at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_poor_design