Contributions to Anthropocosmic Environmental Ethics

Abstract

Th is essay is an articulation of various contributions to anthropocosmic environmental ethics-an approach to environmental ethics emerging within the study of religion and ecology. In an anthropocosmic approach to environmental ethics, humans are intimately intertwined with the environment. Rather than placing value on a particular center (e.g., anthropocentric, biocentric, ecocentric) and thus excluding and marginalizing something of peripheral value, an anthropocosmic approach to ethics seeks to facilitate the mutual implication of humanity and the natural world, thereby affirming the interconnectedness and mutual constitution of central and peripheral value. Although the adjective "anthropocosmic" may seem obscure or vague, an examination of the genealogy of the term, beginning with its appearance in the works of Mircea Eliade, discloses numerous resources that have important contributions to make to the development of viable environmental ethics.

Proposta de um modelo de análise do comprometimento com a sustentabilidade

“…Thus, whilst natural life and the natural world are peripheral in anthropocentrism, in ecocentrism it is humanity which appears to be incidental. In the search for a non-anthropocentric paradigm, the focus becomes not a value for humanity, but for the biota or life in general (MICKEY, 2007).…”

“…In studies seeking to conciliate humanity and nature, some authors use the term anthropocosmic to explain this relationship. When Mickey (2007), studied the genealogy of the term anthropocosmic, he returned to the arguments of Mircea Eliade for whom humanity and the cosmos are totally interconnected. Ethical and religious explanations of this term are also analyzed, such as Confucius' vision of the world in which Heaven and Humanity are united and encompass the interaction between the individual, the community, the natural world and the cosmos.…”

Conceitos Atribuídos à Sustentabilidade em Organizações de Diferentes Setores

“…Pode-se observar que a maior parte das organizações define sustentabilidade relacionado-a à permanência da própria organização. Embora o conceito original de sustentabilidade esteja associado a uma maior integração entre a humanidade e a natureza (GLADWIN; KENELLY; KRAUSE, 1995;HOFFMAN;SANDELANDS, 2005;MICKEY, 2007), na qual essas categorias não poderiam ser vistas de maneira dissociada, as preocupações manifestadas nas organizações são, predominantemente, ligadas a uma perspectiva individualista. Isso pode ser observado quando se fala em atender aos interesses dos acionistas, se apontam estratégias para o aumento do número de clientes e serviços (definido como finanças sustentáveis), busca-se um bom relacionamento com os stakeholders e redução de riscos (operador sustentável) ou, ainda, quando se têm como compromissos centrais a rentabilidade da organização, o desenvolvimento de empreendimentos economicamente viáveis e a manutenção de metas de lucros.…”

Dialogue Between Islam and Environtmental Ethics Through the Seyyed Hossein Nasr Thought

“…Furthermore, the conclusion given by Kula seems absurd, because the teachings which are conceived as anthropocentrism are the main enemies of environmental ethics, paralleled with respect for nature. This paper seeks to transcend the difficulties faced by Kula through the thought of Seyyed Hossein Nasr regarding human relations and nature coupled with the anthropocosmic concept as expressed by Sam Mickey (2007). The anthropocosmic category described by Mickey is needed to understand the relationship between humans and nature in the teachings of Islam so as not to get caught up in the anthropocentric and nonanthropocentric dichotomy.…”