Teacher: SHAYNE CANDACE C.

QUIZON
Year and Section: Grade 12
Module in (Subject/Topic): HUMAN PERSON IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Module Duration: 1 Week

MOTIVATION

Photo Analysis. Look at the following pictures and fill up the table below.
Write your answers in your activity notebook.
PHOTOS Observation: Inferences: What do Questions: What
Describe exactly you think the photo is questions does
what you see in trying to convey? this picture raise
the picture in your mind?
LESSON PROPER

Environmental Philosophy is the discipline that studies the moral relationships of human beings with the
environment and its non-human contents. Philosophers believe that the human person has the ability to change the
environment to suit his purposes. It will enable them to become aware of their relationship and its related issues in
our society and their impact on the lives of human persons.

“What is the world made of?” “How did the world come into being?” and “How can we explain the process of
change?” were philosophical questions already brought up approximately 600 B.C.E. (before the common era) in
the Western lonian seaport town of Miletus across the Aegean Sea from Athens, Greece. The speculation of the pre-
Socratic philosophers represents a paradigm shift- a change from mythical explanation of the origins of the cosmos
to a more rational explanation.

Eastern sages probed nature’s depths intuitively through the eyes of spiritualsages which Greek thinkers viewed
nature through cognitive and scientific eyes (Price 2000). These thinkers were looking for the underlying laws of
nature. They wanted to understand the processes of nature by studying nature itself, not by listening to the stories
about the gods.

According to Payne (2010) there are two frameworks where humans can be related.

1. Anthropocentric Model – Based on the anthropocentric model, humans are superior and central to the universe,
thus, it is human centered.

There are a number of important implications of the anthropocentric view, which strongly influence the ways in
which humans interpret their relationships with other species and with nature and ecosystems. Some of these are
discussed below:

● The anthropocentric view suggests that humans have greater intrinsic value than other species. A result of
this attitude is that any species that are of potential use to humans can be a "resource" to be exploited. This
use often occurs in an unsustainable fashion that results in degradation, sometimes to the point of extinction
of the biological resource, as has occurred with the dodo, great auk, and other animals.
● The view that humans have greater intrinsic value than other species also influences ethical judgments
about interactions with other organisms. These ethics are often used to legitimize treating other species in
ways that would be considered morally unacceptable if humans were similarly treated. For example,
animals are often treated very cruelly during the normal course of events in medical research and
agriculture. This prejudiced treatment of other species has been labeled "speciesism " by ethicists.
● Another implication of the anthropocentric view is the belief that humans rank at the acme of the natural
evolutionary progression of species and of life. This belief is in contrast to the modern biological
interpretation of evolution, which suggests that no species are "higher" than any others, although some
clearly have a more ancient evolutionary lineage, or may occur as relatively simple life forms.

2. Ecocentric Model – It is the ecological or relational integrity of the humans that provides meaning of our morals
and values and it is nature centered. Devoted to preserving the totality of Earth’s biodiversity and the functioning of
its life –supporting system.

Econcentric model, the ecological or relational integrity of the humans provides meaning of our morals and values
and it is nature centered. Devoted to preserving the totality of Earth’s biodiversity and the functioning of its life
supporting system.
 ACTIVITY

Direction: Interview a person who is 45-60 years old. Be guided by the following questions:

1. What are the things that you remember in your environment when you were my age?

2. What were the things that you like doing when you were young?

3. What are the positive and negative changes in the environment?

4. Do you think environment plays a vital role in a person’s development? Why or why not?

5. Distinguish the ecocentric from the anthropocentric models. Cite examples.

6. How do humans react to nature? Explain. In what way are your answers positive or negative?

Ancient Thinkers

Anaximander, a pre-Socratic philosopher and scientist said about the Creation-

Destruction. According to him, the sketch of the genesis of the world (cosmology), the
evolution of the world begins with the generation of opposites in certain region Nature.
Nature is indeterminate-boundless in the sense that no boundaries between the warm and
or the moist and dry regions are originally present within.

According to Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher,” the universe is a living embodiment

of nature’s order, harmony and beauty. He sees our relationship with the universe
involving biophilia (love of other things) and cosmpohilia (love of other beings)

Modern Thinkers

For modern thinker, Immanuel Kant, beauty is ultimately a symbol of morality

(goodness). He believes that the orderliness of nature and the harmony of nature with our
faculties guide us toward a deeper religious perspective.
Herbert Marcuse said about the power of humans over nature, while George Herbert Mead tackled about our
duties and responsibilities.

Deep Ecology, Social Ecology, Ecofeminism

Aside from the Ecocentric model, there are numerous theories to show care for the environment such as deep
ecology, social ecology and ecofeminism to name some.

a. Deep ecology – environmental philosophy and social movement based in the belief that humans must
radically change their relationship to nature from one that values nature solely for its usefulness to human
beings to one that recognizes that nature has an inherent value. Sometimes called an “ecosophy,” deep
ecology offers a definition of the self that differs from traditional notions and is a social movement that
sometimes has religious and mystical undertones. The phrase originated in 1972 with Norwegian
philosopher Arne Naess, who, along with American environmentalist George Sessions, developed a
platform of eight organizing principles for the deep ecology social movement. Deep ecology distinguishes
itself from other types of environmentalism by making broader and more basic philosophical claims about
metaphysics, epistemology, and social justice.
b. Social ecology – an approach to society that embraces a ecological, reconstructive, and communitarian
view on society. This ideology looks to reconstruct and transform current outlooks on both social issues
and environmental factors while promoting direct democracy. It looks to do away with scarcity and
hierarchy in the economy in favor of a world in which human communities work together in harmony with
nature to accept and promote diversity as well as creativity and freedom.
c. Ecofeminism – Ecofeminism, also called ecological feminism, branch of feminism that examines the
connections between women and nature. Ecofeminism uses the basic feminist tenets of equality between
genders, a revaluing of non-patriarchal or nonlinear structures, and a view of the world that respects
organic processes, holistic connections, and the merits of intuition and collaboration. To these notions
ecofeminism adds both a commitment to the environment and an awareness of the associations made
between women and nature. Specifically, this philosophy emphasizes the ways both nature and women are
treated by patriarchal (or male-centred) society. Ecofeminists examine the effect of gender categories in
order to demonstrate the ways in which social norms exert unjust dominance over women and nature. The
philosophy also contends that those norms lead to an incomplete view of the world, and its practitioners
advocate an alternative worldview that values the earth as sacred, recognizes humanity’s dependency on the
natural world, and embraces all life as valuable.

PRUDENCE AND FRUGALITY

Prudence is defined as the ability to have good judgement that allows avoidance of dangers and risks, Meanwhile,
frugality is the act of using money or other resources wisely and practically.
 Prudence Frugality

Covers good judgement considering the consequences The quality of being thrifty, sparing or economical in
of an action, using common sense and discretion, the consumption of resources and avoiding waste,
exercising caution, and conforming to reason and lavishness, or extravagance.
decency.

Arising from the discussions, Fromm (2013) suggested a new society that should inspire the development of a new
human being that will nurture prudence and fairness or frugality towards environment. These are some of the
functions of Fromm’s envisioned society:

1. The willingness to give up all forms of having, in order to fully be

2. Being fully present where one is
3. Trying to reduce greed, hate, and illusions as much as one is capable
4. Making the full growth of oneself and one’s fellow beings as supreme goal of living
5. Not deceiving others, but also not being deceived by others; one may be called innocent but not naive
6. Freedom that is not arbitrariness but the responsibility to be oneself, not as a bundle of greedy desires, but
as delicately balanced structure that at any moment is confronted with the alternatives of growth or decay,
life or death
7. Happiness in the process of ever-growing aliveness, whatever the furthest point is that fate permits one to
reach, for living as fully as one can is so satisfactory that the concern for what one might or might not attain
has little chance to develop
8. Joy that comes from giving and sharing
9. Developing one’s capacity for love
10. Shedding one’s narcissism and accepting that tragic limitations inherent from human existence

ENRICHMENT

Directions: Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper

1. What is happiness? If possible, related Fromm’s view with other philosophers discussed.
2. What is freedom? Relate Fromm’s view with other philosophers discussed in previous lessons.
3. What is joy? Do you agree with Fromm’s view?
 ASSESSMENT

Multiple choice. Directions: Read carefully and write the letter of your answer on your
notebook.

1. What is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason?

a. Transcendence
b. Frugality
c. Aesthetics
d. prudence

2. What is the act of using or other resources wisely and practically?

a. Aesthetics
b. Prudence
c. Frugality
d. Economics

3. What may be a sign of an environmental disorder?

a. Lack of material things

b. Lack of resources
c. Lack of friends
d. Lack of space

4. Which among the following options is a disorder in the environment?

a. A basket of unwashed dirty clothes

b. A house with no single plant
c. A garden with dying plants
d. A library with a small number of books

5. In what way can the environment contribute to health and well-being?

a. It can be available anywhere.

b. It is the source of life.
c. It produce products that provide medicinal value.
d. It is made up of consumers and producers.

6. In which of the following scenarios is prudence demonstrated?

a. Ordering food that you can consume

b. Searching assignment answers over the internet
c. Keeping the lights on all day
d. Being friendly to neighbors
7. Lila wants to buy an expensive phone using the money she has been saving since last year. She asked for her
friends’ opinions in making her decision. Which among her friends is frugal?

a. Jen suggested that she should spend the money for travel abroad.
b. Marco advised her to spend the money on the expensive phone.
c. Aiza said that the she should go on a shopping spree using the money.
d. Jack suggested that she should keep the money for future, more important uses.

8. Which of the given statements is true?

1. Prudence and frugality can only be applied in one environment.

2. Looking at aesthetics is a way of determining disorder.

a. both statements 1 and 2

b. statement 1
c. neither statement 1 nor 2
d. statement 2

9. what is the role of the environment in achieving sustainable development?

1. It can reproduce resources.

2. It is the venue for producer-consumer relationships.

a. Statement 1
b. Statement 2
c. Neither statement 1 nor 2
d. Both statements 1 and 2

10. Which of the given statements is true about frugality?

1. It is only limited to tangible or solid materials

2. It applies to a select few.

a. Statement 1
b. Both statement 1 and 2
c. Statement 2
d. Neither statement 1 nor 2
 REFERENCE

Book:

Roberto D. Abella, M.Div., D.Min. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person.

Website:

Anthropocentrism. Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Ambiguity - Ambiguity to Anticolonialism in

Middle East - Ottoman Empire And The Mandate System.
https://science.jrank.org/pages/403/Anthropocentrism.html#ixzz6ZerIaL8Ohttps://science.jrank.org/pages/403/Anthr
opocentrism.html#:~:text=Anthropocentrism%20is%20a%20world%20view,and%20value%20in%20the
%20Universe.&text=The%20anthropocentric%20view%20suggests%20that,intrinsic%20value%20than%20other
%20species.

Ecofeminism. Kathryn Miles. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ecofeminism

Deep ecology. Peter Madsen. https://www.britannica.com/topic/deep-ecology

What is Social Ecology? Social Work Degree Guide. https://www.socialworkdegreeguide.com/faq/what-is-social-

ecology/