Deanne M Johnson: Journal Assignment Two

The document provides a summary of the key ideas and principles discussed in a philosophy journal assignment, including reciprocity, justice, and holism. The writer struggles to fully understand some complex definitions but realizes that human actions have consequences and we are all interconnected with nature. While it is difficult to fully comprehend various theories, reflecting on how we impact the environment can help develop a holistic view of our interdependence on ecosystems.

Uploaded by

The WizZ

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

0% found this document useful (0 votes)

38 views4 pages

Deanne M Johnson: Journal Assignment Two

Uploaded by

The WizZ

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You are on page 1/ 4

Journal Assignment Two

Deanne M Johnson
PHI216

I find the more I dive into each chapter more I am overwhelmed with philosophical definition upon definition that leaves my brain in knots. It is interesting that I have faith in super natural being when I cannot wrap my brain around each one of these ideas, definitions and theories. I realized I am more analytical than I had ever thought before. This study has made me realize just how much I still question my faith because I am a person who needs concrete evidence. So I am having a hard time describing each principle because I feel as though I am being led in circles. Here it goes, I am about to give it my best shot explaining and describing some principles that I could most understand. Reciprocity as I understand it is a cause and effect: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I see reciprocity also as for example taking a stone throwing into a body of water, that stone then causes ripples at the surface and a current beneath the surface. Those ripples and currents then span out causing other reactions some positive and some negative but are they necessarily opposite reactions, not sure, that depends on the effect they have on what they come in contact with. When I think of reciprocity I think of do unto others as you would have done to you. I do not see that as opposite reactions either however I do see it as an equal reaction to a cause you or I put out into the universe. This principle is one that helps to tie into the idea we are all interdependent on each other, all connected in some fashion.

No matter what I do in my own home with my own decisions it can and will affect another being, eco-system or thing. Many individuals believe that one cannot make a difference in the environment; they dont believe that one can have a cause and effect factor that will impact anything other than themselves. That singular notion is what has led us to this global calamity called climate change. There are consequences for every action we make every decision we take. There will be justice for these consequences. Justice has moral standards based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness or equity with consequences or punishment for breaking these standards. Justice can be the effect in reciprocity; it is the consequence of the cause. If the decisions or actions a person takes breaks one of the moral standards then justice must have an equal and/or opposite punishment. However I cannot see how justice works in the natural world because natural law is not human law. When a predator kills its prey there is no punishment because that is the natural order of things. That prey either hunted another animal or it ate plants neither of which is reciprocity or justice. So having natural law in the definition of justice does not make sense to me. The only example of justice in the natural world that I can think of are inside each animals own family. For example, packs of wolves have an order in which they eat and mate if anyone of the wolves breaks that code there are consequences for breaking that code such as a fight or banishment from the pack. In a way that is justice and reciprocity because there was a cause an effect then punishment for the cause. Humans however have taken many years and many warnings to realize that our actions have a cause and effect in nature. That we are all tied together, interdependent of

each other. Ecological consciousness has taken many years to come into the minds of the human world. There was a time with our ancestors that we knew we could not survive in the world without the survival of eco-systems and the environment. That what we did impacted our survival. We had to catch, hunt, raise or grow our own food in order to live. That direct contact with our food source kept us in touch with our connection to the world in which we share will all life. The move away from growing or raising our own food has disconnected us from that ecological consciousness, that each and every thing has value and is dependent on each other. We have moved from holistic thinking but many are trying to make others aware that we are not just a sum of our parts but integrated. Holistic thinking or holism cannot be stripped down to each individual part to be tested or explained. This brings me back to the stone in the body of water. An individual may see themselves as the stone unaware of the effect they have had landing or jumping into that body of water. However, we all must be aware these ripples we make in the environment have consequences not always equal, not always opposite. Some of these consequences have dramatic effects on our very existence in the environment. Humanity must realize our relationship to the environment is not independent or separate or above it but in it an integral part because our decisions impact every other living and non-living thing. I am not sure how any of these principles or theories have enhanced or changed my current way of thinking. Except, I find I am left confused and in disarray from each principle. I read and re-read many of the principles and pages over and over to get a full understanding of the ideas because I really feel that a full grasp of these concepts can only help my argument for humans to understand a holistic point of

view. That we are not just separate parts of a whole but synergized as one unit with give and take not just take take take without giving back or the consequence with be great. We have lost our relationship with the environment; we have become a society of take without the realization that we are our own demise. Natural law has shown millions of years of adapting to change and consequences us humans are newbies of this ability to bounce back. We may have brains to learn and adapt but not like nature. Nature can lay dormant for years; we humans cannot retreat into dormancy. We have to figure out how to continue in this high tech life without stripping our environment of its resources.