Environment and Philosophy

To Stella:


It seems to me clear that in both western and eastern traditions of philosophy, there has been seperate approachs to dealing with the notion of nature. There is clearly the need for a philosopher to deal with the issue, but on both sides seperate metaphysics/ontologies/ethics have caused for divergence as wide-ranging as the geography of this earth.

It seems clear to me that there are compelling systems of ontology (metaphysics) in both eastern and western traditions that indeed argue for an understanding of the human's relationship with nature as one of etiquette. Etiquette insofar as the person needs to engage the world within a certain framework of mannerism, thoughts, and actions. In parcitular, the Daoist tradition seems to compell an individual into a relationship with nature in a foreign manner than western thought. The standard western approach tends to address an understanding of master-slave or perhaps even caretaker-thingtobecared for. The Daoist approach hints at a different relationship, one that allows for the truth of the world to reveal itself to the seeking human. A relationship where there isn't dominance, or if it is to be dominant, the natural is dominant to the human (as the natural is at peace with Dao and the human is not). Daoist understanding would hint to an etiquette similar to the student-master relationship in martial arts between the human and the world. Reverence, respect, and awe given from the human to the natural world, that when allowed to be natural, will return with generosity, tranquility, and knowledge.

In comparison, Heidegger's rejection of traditional metaphysics seems to argue for an ontology that indeed would also place at the very essence of being an etiquette towards the natural world (fourfold). By being the caring-for that the fourfold needs, the human being is able to engage in a freeing, sparing relationship with the natural environment. The human spares the fourfold by letting it stand-in-itself; thereby revealing the thing's essence...unconcealing the truth of the being. The natural world then is cared for, respected, and seen as the home of the holy, and the human being is able to live comfortably, tranquilly, and engage knowledge of the world.

There is easily a connection here, from both Eastern and Western traditions (neither limited to the two mentioned) that embrace, perhaps not an Ethic, but a relationship based on etiquette between the human being and the environment the human finds themselves in.