The Human Person in their

Environment
Which of the following statements regarding its state
are true for you and your community?

1. It is hotter now than it usually was during the

summer months.
2. Typhoons are stronger and there is more rain
during the rainy season.
3. We experience more flooding in our community.
4. We evacuate our homes more frequently due to
natural calamities.
5. Our community is now dirtier and more disorderly
compared to the past few years.
Please read.
To quote the English poet John Donne, “No man is
an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of
the continent, a part of the main.”

Explain.

This means that as human persons, we interact not

only with our fellow human beings but also with
the other living and nonliving elements in our
environment.
Like the physical sciences, philosophy also seeks to explore
the relationship between humanity and the environment.

What is environmental philosophy or environmental ethics ?

Environmental philosophy or environmental ethics is the

discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship
of human beings with the environment and it’s non-human
contents.

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.
 Three major philosophical views regarding the
relationship between humanity and the environment

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.
Explain or give example.
Biocentrism – believes that humans are not only
significant species on the planet, and that all organism
have inherent value and should be protected.

What law in the Philippines protect animals?

RA 8485 – The Animal Welfare Act of 1998

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.
Do you consider your classroom clean and orderly? Will you
able to conduct your activities if your classroom is messy and
disorganized? As a responsible students 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.
The appreciation of natural beauty brings about concern for
the environment and helps people relate more effectively
with nature.

Give example of government projects which

beautifies the environment?
 Disorder exits in our environment

Can disorder be brought by natural means? How?

Disorder can be brought about by sudden changes in nature.

For instance, natural calamities such as typhoons,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides bring about
destruction in our surroundings. These have great effect on
human communities as these disrupt normal activities and
result to damages to property and loss of lives.

Can disorder be brought by human activities? Give example.

Human activities can also bring about disorder in our

environment. The human factor can be clearly seen in
environmental problems such as pollution,
environmental degradation, the depletion of natural
resources, global warming, and climate change.
Human actions that contribute to environmental problems
include littering and improper use of resources. Communities
that do not practice proper waste disposal often have dirty
surroundings, with garbage littered on the streets. The
accumulating garbage causes flooding and becomes a health
hazard because it spreads dirt and disease.

The accumulating garbage causes flooding and becomes

a health hazard because it spreads dirt and disease.

Factories often release harmful smoke and fumes into

the air, while others dump their waste into nearby
bodies of water. These harmful actions contribute to
disorder in our environment.
How can humanity address the damage inflicted on the
environment?

One important development that arose during the late

twentieth century was environmentalism. This
perspective advocates to address the growing
environmental problems. Several ideas and perspectives
regarding environmental action have emerged.

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.