Human Understanding of Nature and the Environment - Literature review Example

ECOLOGY AND HOLISTIC THINKING INTRODUCTION Man’s tryst with nature has always been an eventful one ever since he had set foot on the Earth. With respect to maintaining an appropriate equilibrium in nature, he has not given pertinent though to its destruction. Though man has always believed in progress, yet his progress was always at the cost of other important things such as nature and ecology. There are two points of view of man’s relation to nature. The secular point of view holds that man tries to control nature and the religious point of view opines that man is always trying to add to the creation of nature by trying to refashion it to suit his tastes, likes and dislikes. This essay is going to examine man’s true connection with the nature and the ecology around him with a special focus on how the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides has led to the degradation of our ecosystem. The 19th century seemed to be a sort of turning point, when scientific endeavor initiated action that concentrated upon studying nature by disintegrating it into its various fundamental components. It was the interdependence of different species on each other that gave man a better insight into understanding nature or ecology as it is better known. . In this respect, Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ made an invaluable contribution by creating and spreading awareness among the people and triggering an initiative to come closer to nature and try to understand it better instead of trying to control it. It was also responsible in creating an ‘environmental consciousness’1 ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson, a well known American Marine biologist had been published in 1962. It was this very insightful book that triggered the ushering in of an Environmental Movement in the United States by bringing to light the disastrous effects of pesticides on life in the environment. Silent Spring shot off a lot of controversy in Government circles which led to the banning of DDT pesticides and paved the way for new environmental legislation to regulate the use of chemicals in a much safer manner. This document was chosen for study because not only was it extremely important for safeguarding human life and the ecology, but because it gave us a deep insight into understanding how to maintain an equable balance between man and nature and by studying such a document it would create an awareness of the dangers that present themselves by using pesticides and thereby helps us to rectify our habits and attitudes in creating and maintaining a much healthier and safer ecological system. Rachael Carson, the author of the document ‘Silent Spring’ has given us deep insight into the harmful factors that surround the use of different chemicals and pesticides and guides us in the quest of eradicating these dangers, thus paving the way for a chemical free and safer world. Human understanding of nature and the environment is quite limited and therefore the document Silent Spring by Carson served as an important eye- opener that brought forward the hazards involving the use of chemicals and pesticides. Sideris, Lisa H. & Moore, Kathleen Dean 2 in their book titled ‘Rachel Carson: Legacy and Challenge’ enumerates the vision Carson had in view of humans and nature related to a cleaner and safer world. This book is a testament of Carson’s dedication to the cause of saving the lives of humans in relation to their environment. In chapter I of their book they explain how Carson’s document acted as a catalyst for triggering public interest and governmental legislation on all environmental issues in order to safeguard all life on the Earth by initiating an environment free of harmful substances such as chemicals and pesticides. John Passmore3 enlightens us on the attitude of writers and scholars in reaction to Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’. Most of them are of the opinion that man has limited his own economical growth by destroying his ecosystem. According to Passmore, civilization can survive, if we can transform nature. (pg. 179) Other writers too have given their views on man and the ecology that surrounds him. Greg Mitman4 in his book on ‘The State of Nature’ emphasizes the fact that though Science claims to be objective, yet scientists cannot get away from the fact that their own opinions and values tend to influence their research. Examining the correlation between American Society during the early twentieth century up to the present day, reflects how social and political concerns had an impact on the prevailing scientific agenda.5 In his touching message in “Something New Under The Sun,’ J. R. McNeill6 clearly denotes the extent of damage done by humans in altering the Earth through volcanic explosions, new nuclear bombing, asteroid crashes and oil spill age putting an end to different species of birds, animals and marine creatures. He puts this wreckage in a nutshell by saying that, ‘When the biography of the earth is written, our effect on the planet will be a footnote at best.’ 7 Al Gore states, that throughout Silent Spring, Carson was able to capture the attention of not only the government, but the general public and served to initiate our democracy towards saving the Earth.8 Conclusion Coming to terms with his behavior, man now has become aware of the scourges he has inflicted on his environment for his own selfish needs. Man now has a better understanding of his ecology and has become more responsible because he knows that both nature and man are interdependent on each other. Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ has made an indelible mark in this direction because it has helped stimulate important research in the areas of pest control and the safe use of chemicals and pesticides. For her indispensable contribution Carson was highly revered and found her place among the 100 most influential people like Einstein and Freud on the cover of the Times magazine.9 Carson believed that by appreciating and understanding nature, and with the knowledge that we are interdependent on it, it would go a long way in helping us have more respect for it. The 20th century’s advancement of Science and Technology together with intensive and extensive research in these fields would guide our actions towards nature and all its bounty. In philosopher and human ecologist, Leopold Shepard’s10 words ecology is not a science that could be set right with quick fixes using scientific engineering, but rather it is one that invokes silent admiration and wonder. (Shepard Leopold, 1969) Bibliography Carson Rachel, Silent Spring (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, p. 297. 1962, Gore Al, ‘Introduction to Silent Spring’ 1994, http://www.greenwichnj.org/WWWProjects/Silent%20Spring/Silent%20Spring%20text/Al%20Gore.html. 1994 Passmore John, Man’s Responsibility for Nature: Ecological Problems and Western Traditions. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, Pp. 213, 1974 Shepard Leopold, "Introduction: Ecology and Man - a Viewpoint," in Paul Shepard and Daniel McKinley (eds.) The Subversive Science: Essays Toward an Ecology of Man Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, pp. 1-10, 1969 Sideris, Lisa H. & Moore, Kathleen Dean, Rachel Carson: ‘Legacy and Challenge’, Chap. 1, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY, pgs. 297, 2008 McNeill, J.R. Something New Under the Sun, An Environmental History of the Twentieth – Century World. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, Pgs. 421, (A Review by Dick Teresi.) Mitman Gregg, ‘The State of Nature’, Ecology, community and American social thought, 1900 – 1950, The University of Chicago Press, pgs. 304, 1992 Read More