THE HUMAN

PERSON IN THE
ENVIRONMENT

Lesson 4
– Have you ever wondered about the changes
happening in our environment?
– What have you noticed about the weather
and your surroundings?
 Which of the following statements regarding the
state of your environment are true for you and your
community?

– It is hotter now than it usually was during the summer months.

– Typhoons are stronger and there is more rain during the rainy season.
– We experience more flooding in our community.
– We evacuate our homes more frequently due to natural calamities.
– Our community is now dirtier and more disorderly compared to the
past few years.
– Scientists monitors the changes in our environment and
their studies show that our world is changing not for the
better but for the worse, and humanity is responsible for
this.
– English poet John Donne said, “No man is an island, entire
of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the
main.”
– This means that as human persons, we interact not only
with our fellow human beings but also with the other living
and non-living elements in our environment.
 Try to put yourself in the following situations.

– Have you ever participated in a mountain trek?

– Imagine yourself on top of a mountain looking down
at the land below.
– Have you ever laid down on a grassy field and gazed
at the sky?
 Try to put yourself in the following situations.

– Have you ever taken a trip to the beach?

– Recall the moment when you stood on the shore
watching the sunset.
– How did you feel during this instances?
– Did you feel at peace with yourself and the world?
 Try to put yourself in the following situations.

– Did you feel that you were part of something much

larger than yourself?
– Did you feel that you were one with nature?
– Humankind is part of the world, and we significantly
affect our environment in the same way that changes
in our environment affect us.
 How does philosophy define the person’s
relationship with the environment?

– Environmental philosophy or environmental ethics is

a discipline in philosophy that studies the moral
relationship of human beings with the environment
and its non-human contents.
 How does philosophy define the person’s
relationship with the environment?

– Environmental philosophers tackle issues such as

humanity’s role in the natural world, the interaction
between nature and human activities, and humanity’s
response to environmental challenges.
– Philosophers believe that the person has a special
relationship with nature.
– Unlike other organisms that are merely part of
ecosystems and exist to perform certain biological
roles, the person has the ability to change the
environment to suit his or her purposes.
– The early history of humankind shows that wherever
humans came together to form communities the
landscape ad the environment changed.
– Forests gave way to farmlands, mountains were mined
for minerals and metals, and rivers and lakes were
transformed to yield more resources for mankind.
– It is in an orderly environment where human persons thrive best.
– Disorder can give rise to several problems and challenges for
humankind.
– This is most evident after any natural disaster such as earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, and severe typhoons which result in great
damage to property, injuries, and even loss of lives.
– As a rational being, the person is not only capable of transforming
the world, but also of understanding the laws which govern nature.
– It can be said that the world is a text which the person can read
and understand in order to live a better life.
 Different roles of person to environment

1. Treat the environment as object, a source of raw materials to be

used in any way he/she pleases.
2. Something that envelopes and surrounds him/her, thus they have
special and unique relationship with it.
3. People can help the environment become greater than what it
originally is if they take the task.
 ACTIVITY/DISCUSS

1. Look around your community and school. Can you see evidence of changes
in the environment caused by people? Describe these changes.
2. Can you see evidence of people adapting their activities to your school or
local environment?
3. Which part of your community or school do you consider most orderly?
Which part is most disorderly?
4. How has pollution affected your health and well-being? How has it affected
the well-being of your family and the community?
 THREE (3) MAJOR VIEWS REGARDING
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT

1. Anthropocentrism – focuses on the significant role of

humankind in the world and considers nature as the means
by which humans are able to meet their needs and survive.
– This view believes that humans are the most important species
on the planet and they are free to transform nature and use its
resources.
 THREE (3) MAJOR VIEWS REGARDING
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT

2. Biocentrism – believes that humans are not the only

significant species on the planet, and that all organisms
have inherent value and should be protected.
– This view drives the activities of humane organizations that
advocate the ethical treatment of animals. (R.A. 8485 or “The
Animal Welfare Act of 1998”)
 THREE (3) MAJOR VIEWS REGARDING
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANITY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT

3. Ecocentrism – places great value on ecosystems and

biological communities.
– This view believes that humankind is part of a greater biological
system or community and that we have a significant role as
stewards or guardians of nature.
– This view also promotes the idea that order and balance in nature
brings about stability and beauty.
– The influence of humanity on the environment can be best
understood if we consider the individual person as a dynamic
source of change within his or her particular environment.
– Look around your classroom and reflect on the state of your
surroundings.
– Do you consider your classroom clean and orderly?
– Will you be able to conduct your activities if your classroom is
messy and disorganized?
– As a responsible student and member of the school
community, how should you respond to this situation?
Environmental aesthetics – is one philosophical view
that believes maintaining order in the environment will
bring out the natural beauty of the surroundings and
contribute to the well-being of the people and other
organisms living in it.
Environmental aesthetics – is one philosophical view
that believes maintaining order in the environment will
bring out the natural beauty of the surroundings and
contribute to the well-being of the people and other
organisms living in it.
 THINK

Form groups of five members each. Research on a

specific environment problem happening in our
country. Analyze it using any of the major philosophical
views. Discuss your work in class.
 HOW CAN HUMANITY ADDRESS THE
DAMAGE INFLICTED ON THE
ENVIRONMENT?

Environmentalism – this perspective advocates to

address the growing environmental problems. It arose
during the late twentieth century.
 HOW CAN HUMANITY ADDRESS THE
DAMAGE INFLICTED ON THE
ENVIRONMENT?

– One important philosophical view from

environmentalism is environmental ethics. This is a
moral approach that analyzes the relationship between
humans and the environment. It also discusses
environmental problems caused by human activities
and social issues that impact the environment.
 HOW CAN HUMANITY ADDRESS THE
DAMAGE INFLICTED ON THE
ENVIRONMENT?

– Have you ever thought about how your actions affect nature?
– When throwing away a piece of trash, do you reflect on what
will happen should you decide to just throw it anywhere in
your school or community?
– Do you see the importance of cleaning your surroundings,
throwing trash properly, segregating waste, and saving
water?
 Environmental Ethics

– Environmental ethics serves as a basis for reflecting on how

our actions show our regard for nature.
– We often complain about the trash scattered around our
community, but what steps have we taken to be an example
of cleanliness and order in our homes and communities?
 Environmental Ethics

– Environmental ethics also guides us in upholding the

welfare of the environment and everything in it.
– As persons, it is our responsibility to start with our own
actions and how they affect our immediate environment.
 Environmental Ethics

– Have you ever taken the initiative to tidy up your room or

help clean your house?
– Starting in your own home is an important step towards
becoming a more responsible steward of nature.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL VIEWS
REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental ethics advocates human responsibility and

action with regard to environmental issues. Its main ideas are
the following:
– All nonhuman elements of the world, including animals and
natural resources, have intrinsic value and should be
preserved.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL VIEWS
REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT

– The preservation of the environment will benefit humans

by providing for the needs of present and future
generations.
– Humankind has a responsibility to safeguard the planet as
stewards of creation.
 Environmental ethics has resulted in the
development of varied views:

– Social ecology applies an ecological and ethical approach in

analyzing society, and sees a relationship between social
problems and environmental problems. Society should,
therefore, implement changes in order to address issues
regarding the environment.
 Environmental ethics has resulted in the
development of varied views:

– Environmental justice refers to the fair distribution of

environmental benefits, as well as the burden of meeting
environmental challenges. Advocates of this emphasize
equity and the meaningful involvement of communities and
governments in addressing environmental challenges, and
in planning and implementing environmental policies.
 Environmental ethics has resulted in the
development of varied views:

– Environmental aesthetics focused on concepts of beauty in

nature in the context of maintaining order and balance in
the environment.
 THINK

Analyze the following situations and determine which of them

show the right or moral choice with regard to the environment.
Discuss your thoughts in class.
1. A mining corporation decided to save costs and did not construct
an effective storing facility for mining waste. The improperly stored
waste leaked and polluted the nearby river, poisoned marine life,
and caused people in the nearby village to get sick.
 THINK

2. A business man bought a large piece of farmland and decided to

convert it into a subdivision. During construction, hundreds of
trees were uprooted and streams were covered in cement.
3. A local official led a campaign to set aside several hectares of
forested land in their city as a watershed area. This area was
declared off-limits to loggers and miners.
 WHAT CAN I DO TO UPHOLD
ENVIRONMENTALISM AND CARE FOR
NATURE?

Sustainability or sustainable development is a concept that

focuses on reconciling human activities and economic
development with the protection of the environment. One of
the major ideas of sustainability is that we must make wise
decisions regarding the use of natural resources to ensure
that there is still enough left for the future use.
 THINK

Reflect on how you and your family use natural resources at

home. Copy the table and fill it out with the appropriate
responses.
Activities that show Activities that show misuse
sustainable use of resources of resources
 Three Principles of Sustainability

1. Environmental integrity refers to maintaining the state of

the environment. This means that human activities should
not unduly disrupt the ecosystems and human communities
located in the area. Care should be taken that the
surrounding landscape is not drastically impacted by human
activities.
 Three Principles of Sustainability

2. Economic efficiency refers to prudence in decision-making

regarding the use of resources to ensure that there is
minimum to zero waste.
3. Equity demands that we use our natural resources in such
a manner that these are conserved so that the next
generation will b able to use them.
Prudence is the ability to regulate one’s actions and
behaviors.
Frugality is being thrifty with the use of one’s resources.
As human persons, it is our responsibility to treat with
respect not only our fellow humans, but also everything in
our world. upholding environmentalism and sustainability
will enable us to take the first steps in addressing
environmental issues and contribute to solving the greater
environmental challenge of climate change.