Η περιβαλλοντική κοινωνιολογία αποτελεί ένα πεδίο που δίνει την ευκαιρία στο μελετητή και ερευνητή του συγκεκριμένου αντικειμένου να ασχοληθεί με τη διαλεκτική σχέση του ανθρώπινου όντος με τη φύση και ειδικότερα με το φυσικό περιβάλλον... more
Η περιβαλλοντική κοινωνιολογία αποτελεί ένα πεδίο που δίνει την ευκαιρία στο μελετητή και ερευνητή του συγκεκριμένου αντικειμένου να ασχοληθεί με τη διαλεκτική σχέση του ανθρώπινου όντος με τη φύση και ειδικότερα με το φυσικό περιβάλλον μέσα στο οποίο ζει και αναπτύσσεται. Στη συγκεκριμένη εργασία θα προσπαθήσουμε να διεισδύσουμε μέσα από την επισκόπηση βιβλιογραφικών αναφορών. Μέσα από την εργασία αυτή θα προσπαθήσουμε να εξετάσουμε κατά πόσο η άποψη του Lynn White ότι δηλαδή η περιβαλλοντική κρίση οφείλεται στη χριστιανική παράδοση του Δυτικού πολιτισμού. Η σημερινή κατάσταση του περιβάλλοντος βρίσκεται στην πιο δύσκολη καμπή της ιστορίας της γης. Ο άνθρωπος αντί να είναι εκείνος που φροντίζει το περιβάλλον και τη φύση, έχει μετατραπεί σε δυνάστη της και προσπαθεί με στυγνό τρόπο να την εκμεταλλεύεται προσδοκώντας να ικανοποιήσει όλο και περισσότερο την απληστία. Έτσι χωρίς να τον ενδιαφέρει τίποτα άλλο παρά το εφήμερο κέρδος, προκαλεί μεγάλη οικολογική κρίση αδιαφορώντας για εκείνο που αναφέρεται τον τελευταίο αιώνα από τις διάφορες οικολογικές οργανώσεις: «Αυτή τη φύση δεν την κληρονομήσαμε από τους προγόνους μας, τη δανειστήκαμε από τα παιδιά μας».
Herein we provide a comprehensive review of research pertinent to Lynn White Jr.' s contentions in 'The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis' about the negative environmental impacts of 'Judeo-Christian' ideas as well as subsequent... more
Herein we provide a comprehensive review of research pertinent to Lynn White Jr.' s contentions in 'The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis' about the negative environmental impacts of 'Judeo-Christian' ideas as well as subsequent claims that the world's predominant religions are becoming more environmentally friendly. Definitive conclusions are difficult given the complexity of biocultural systems: nevertheless, extant research has identified many themes and dynamics that hinder environmental understanding and mobilization by religious individuals, whether Abrahamic or involved in religions that originated in Asia. Some indigenous traditions, however, appear to foster pro-environmental perceptions and behaviors as do some nature-based cosmologies and value systems, which are often deeply informed by the sciences and direct experience within environmental systems. Our review overturns common misperceptions regarding the role of religion in environmental behaviors and concludes that additional research is warranted to better understand under what circumstances, and with which communicative strategies, religious or other individuals and groups might be more effectively mobilized in response to contemporary environmental challenges. Aasmundsen and two anonymous reviewers, for their helpful comments and suggestions on the initial draft of this article. A small portion of this article was integrated into an article we co-authored (Taylor, Van Wieren, and Zaleha 2016) and is reprinted here with permission of the publisher. 2
Lynn White, Jr.'s 'The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis', which was published in Science in 1967, has played a critically important role in environmental studies. Although White advanced a multifaceted argument, most respondents... more
Lynn White, Jr.'s 'The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis', which was published in Science in 1967, has played a critically important role in environmental studies. Although White advanced a multifaceted argument, most respondents focused on his claim that the 'Judeo-Christian' tradition, especially Christianity, has promoted anthropocentric attitudes and environmentally destructive behaviors. Here, in Part One of a two part study, I demonstrate that White was not the first to make such an argument and analyze how White's article precipitated efforts by religionists and scholars alike to uncover, or invent, pro-environmental interpretations of many religious traditions. I then label subsequent claims that the world's religions are becoming more environmentally friendly as 'The Greening of Religion Hypothesis' and argue that this cultural history of the post-White ferment sets the stage for a much-needed comprehensive review of research illuminating this hypothesis, which is taken up in Part Two of this study., and two anonymous reviewers, for their helpful comments and suggestions on the initial draft of this article. A small portion of this article was integrated into an article I co-authored with Gretel Van Wieren and Bernard Zaleha (2016) and is reprinted here with permission of the publisher.
PHILOSOPHICAL DISPUTE OVER THE ROLE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE ECOLOGICAL QUESTION INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTELLECTUAL BACKGROUND OF THE DISPUTE 1.1. Dynamics of the Ecological Question 1.2. Humanist Perspective on the... more
PHILOSOPHICAL DISPUTE OVER THE ROLE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE ECOLOGICAL QUESTION
INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTELLECTUAL BACKGROUND OF THE DISPUTE 1.1. Dynamics of the Ecological Question 1.2. Humanist Perspective on the Ecological Question CHAPTER 2: ORIGIN OF THE DISPUTE 2.1. Modern Worldview 2.2. Christian Worldview 2.2.1. Cosmological Meaning of the First Creation Story 2.2.2. Cosmological Meaning of the Second Creation Story 2.2.3. Cosmological Meaning of the Early Christian Thought CHAPTER 3: STANDPOINTS OF THE DISPUTE 3.1. Standpoints of Selected Lynn White Thesis’ Proponents 3.1.1. Lynn Townsend White Junior 3.1.2. Arnold Joseph Toynbee 3.1.3. Max Nicholson 3.1.4. Ian Lennox McHarg 3.1.5. Donald Worster 3.1.6. John Passmore 3.2. Standpoints of Selected Lynn White Thesis’ Opponents 3.2.1. Robin Attfield 3.2.2. John Baird Callicott 3.2.3. James A. Nash 3.2.4. Elspeth Whitney 3.2.5. Sir Keith Vivian Thomas 3.2.6. Lewis Whitfield Moncrief 3.2.7. Yi-Fu Tuan CHAPTER 4: PLANES OF THE DISPUTE 4.1. Ontological Plane 4.1.1. On Desacralization of Nature 4.1.2. On Anthropologization of Nature 4.2. Anthropological Plane 4.2.1. On Human Condition 4.2.2. On Human Nature 4.3. Epistemological Plane 4.3.1. On Argumentation of the Dispute’s Standpoints 4.3.2. On Causal Efficacy of Ideas 4.3.3. On Christian Inspiration of Western Science and Technology 4.3.4. On Complexity of the Ecological Crisis’ Causes 4.4. Semantic Plane 4.4.1. On Contemporary Interpretation of Biblical Texts 4.4.2. On Historical Interpretation of Biblical Texts CHAPTER 5: ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE 5.1. Perspective of Moral Philosophy 5.1.1. Considering Christian Inspirations of the Idea of Sustainable Development 5.1.2. Considering Moral Dimension of the Ecological Question 5.2. Perspective of Social Philosophy 5.2.1. Considering Christian Social Involvement 5.2.2. Considering Stewardship as a Christian Style of Human Presence in the World CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY SUMMARY
Christian Anthropocentrism and Man’s Exploitative Stance toward the Natural Environment The Judeo-Christian tradition is blamed as the main culprit in man’s exploitative stance toward the natural environment because of the Creator’s... more
Christian Anthropocentrism and Man’s Exploitative Stance toward the Natural Environment The Judeo-Christian tradition is blamed as the main culprit in man’s exploitative stance toward the natural environment because of the Creator’s command to man that he must subjugate the Earth and have dominion over it (Gen 1:28). This thesis was advanced in 1967 by Lynn White in his article The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis, which engendered vigorous discussion about the connection between monotheistic religions and the destruction of nature. The first part of this article presents White’s reasoning and responses to it. White did not renounce Christianity but called for its fundamental renewal in order to motivate Christians to assume a responsible attitude toward creation. The second half of the article highlights modern exegetic findings regarding the first pages of the Bible and their significance for the theological and ethical interpretation of man’s place within creation. Everything that exists has its origin in God and therefore also has its own intrinsic value. Man, who was created in God’s image, is called upon to be a responsible steward of creation. In no way does God give man the authority to exploit creation in any manner to his own advantage, but instead charges him with shaping and protecting habitat for all living beings. The conclusion critically examines the lengthy reservation of the official Catholic Church regarding environmental issues. It is only Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato si’ that has offered a comprehensive teaching on man’s responsibility for all of creation.
This book review appears in a special issue of the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture 10.3 (2016). See the articles by Taylor and Taylor, Van Wieren and Zaleha, available here at academia.edu, for the core articles in... more
This book review appears in a special issue of the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture 10.3 (2016). See the articles by Taylor and Taylor, Van Wieren and Zaleha, available here at academia.edu, for the core articles in this special issue. This review is of a book by environmental law professor Jay Wexler who explores the role of religion in environmental behavior.
Social scientists have for decades sought to understand the role of religion in environmental behavior. . . . Ellingson found that REMOs [Religious Environmental Movement Organizations] have not succeeded in significantly mobilizing... more
Social scientists have for decades sought to understand the role of religion in environmental behavior. . . . Ellingson found that REMOs [Religious Environmental Movement Organizations] have not succeeded in significantly mobilizing religious individuals and institutions let alone bolstering the environmental movement with its own spirituality and values. Until religious environmentalism "achieves a higher degree of 'cognitive liberation' within and across religions," he averred, "the movement will not be able to mobilize religious audiences to act [and] devote resources and energies" to environmental causes, especially those "not purely focused on alleviating human suffering and meeting human needs" (155). Ellingson reluctantly concluded that this is unlikely due to the deeply rooted values, priorities, and the veto power of religious constituencies. This insight is an important contribution. [excerpts from the review]
