Ekofilozofia

I have decided to write this book with an intention to order some important philosophical problems which tend to emerge on the borderline where the evolutionary science meets philosophy of morality; these problems belong to the realm of ecophilosophy. Although there are various trends within the new philosophy, they all share one feature - the idea of respect for Nature combined with a search for mechanisms that would make a symbiosis or a co-evolution of the anthroposphere and the biosphere possible. Out of a wealth of trends within the contemporary ecophilosophy I have selected for analysis and focused on those which are developed within the framework of Darwinian evolutionism. The present book consist of six chapters: chapter one "The Idea and Subject of Ecophilosophy" focuses on the analysis of the subject of ecophilosophy with special emphasis on the contribution of the Polish scientists in this area. Chapter two "Albert Schweitzer’s Ethics of Respect for Life and Ecophilosophy" contains a presentation of ethics of respect for life which I treat as pioneering work for the main ideas of ecophilosophy. Chapter three "Kazimierz Twardowski’s Project of Scientific Ethics and Contemporary Evolutionist Ethics" deals with Twardowski’s scientific ethics treated as prototype of contemporary ethics which are formulated within the contemporary framework of evolutionism. Chapter four "The Scientific and Philosophical Context of Ecophilosophy" presents the main ontological and epistemological assumptions of ecophilosophy with special emphasis on the molecular metaphysics of life and the new position of the human being in Nature. Chapter five "Is there an Inevitable Conflict Between Nature and Culture?" treats ecophilosophy as a search for philosophical justification for the idea of sustainable development of the human world; a development that could be adjusted to the efficiency of natural environment. Ecophilosophy is treated here as an example of man’s coming off age in his relations with Nature. Chapter six "The Idea of Sustainable Development in the Context of Ecophilosophy" contains an analysis of three different ways of understanding of sustainable development. It also argues that the optimal strategy of sustainable development of the anthroposphere consists in implementing the same mechanisms of dynamic balance as those functioning in the natural ecosystems. Within the conceptual frame of ecophilosophy the anthropocentric interpretation of sustainable development is complementary with the biocentric interpretation. In the conclusion I point out that ecophilosophy understood as a new field of philosophy which provides new rules for man’s relations with Nature is a breakthrough in the philosophical tradition because: - It uses the knowledge of the nature of life and re-evaluates the biological living processes so that it justifies the extension of the moral universum onto the non-human living beings. - The naturalistic metaphysics of ecophilosophy justifies the integration of culture with Nature and mind with the body. - The recognition of inherent values of all living beings and respect for Nature as it is in itself, is a basis for the construction of the new order of the anthroposphere, which will be adjusted to the efficiency of the natural environment. - From the point of view of traditional historiosophies with their anthropocentric bias, ecophilosophy and especially the idea of sustainable development would be regressive. Its implementation would equal acknowledging natural limitations in the moral judgement of human actions and would mean undermining of the moral autonomy of the human being. - The declarations of cooperation in the development of human world with the evolutionary processes demonstrate the humans have freed themselves form the vain pride and delusion that they can shake off the limitations of the natural world. - Several contemporary philosophers doubt whether humanity is sufficiently mature to take up the actions aiming at constructing a new, better world. A better world, constructed in the spirit of ecophilosophy is a world adjusted to the efficiency of the natural environment and functioning in a symbiosis with this environment. - Within the conceptual framework of ecophilosophy, it is assumed that the anthroposphere must be built so as to suit the needs of human beings, but the success of its sustainable development depends on which need become priorities. It depends on whether we prioritize the needs which lead to a symbiosis with the biosphere or the needs to dominate and conquer which have brought about an environmental crisis and may lead to autodestruction