The Experiences and Challenges of Science and Ethics Proceedings of an American-Iranian Workshop (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix G Ethics in the Protection of the Environment
Appendix G Ethics in the Protection of the Environment
Pages 58-76
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From page 58... ...
The ferocious and cruel approach towards nature in recent centuries that stemmed from expansionist motives and has led to relentless exploitation of raw materials -- sea pollution by oil spills, jungle slashing and burning, global warming, and depletion of the ozone layer -- has finally roused man from the stupor of dereliction. The innocent crying of the birds because of hunting, the extinction of forests, and the death of beautiful, colorful fish and whales have opened the eyes and ears of human beings so much that many are dedicating themselves to environmental protection.
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From page 59... ...
This is a promising trend; for I believe that until this important issue is understood by all, and the jeopardy threatening humanity is publicly discernible, the cries of handfuls of people in "Green" parties will not result in the ultimate solution; a popular mobilization of humanity. Without public understanding, the issue shall remain buried within conference proceedings and academic papers.
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From page 60... ...
We hold the view that fanatical scientism, or a rigid and inflexible scientific view lacking any spiritual support and interpretation and description of the world through the narrow portal of empirical science that itself is the major gift and achievement of industrial development in recent centuries, is the main factor of destruction, pollution, and ruin of humanity's natural environment. In the modern lexicon, science has replaced "faith." It was the French scientist Auguste Comte who first stated that the course of human knowledge has three stages: (1)
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From page 61... ...
Of course under this religion of humanity, supplication does not mean worship; rather it means nurturing and nursing.6 Comte stated decisively that the future religion of human beings should adapt itself to science. His prediction was not far off the mark, for in recent centuries, science has become the great icon and the absolute object of veneration for human beings.
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From page 62... ...
Other views derived from seasoned doctrines do not deny the legitimacy of science as a limited matter confined and encompassed by the material dimension of realities, but maintain constantly the existence of a web of inner relationships that links the material nature to the realm of the divine, and the outward appearances of visible objects to an inner reality. Exclusive confinement of the realities of the universe to their material scope by modern scholars, especially in the West, is to ignore the inner causes and means of the environmental crisis.
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From page 63... ...
Briefly, human beings are naturally disposed to engage nature and overcome it as much as it is within their power and to employ it toward their goals and enjoyment. Modern science has totally theorized this concept for him by desanctifying nature.
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From page 64... ...
He sang the hymn of victory over nature and celebrated over the destroyed ruins. So successful was modern science in its attempt at desanctifying nature that regrettably even the religious persons lost their divine and sublime feeling toward nature and its importance.
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From page 65... ...
Some of the scholars who are preoccupied with the environmental crisis have produced works in which it seems as if unitarian religions shoulder a major portion of the culpability for the ruin of nature instead of pinning it on the internal developments within Western civilization that began during medieval ages, and continued through the Renaissance and seventeenth century. For instance, Arnold Toynbee, the great English historian and philosopher of the twentieth century, expressed unique and controversial hypotheses about the philosophy of history and about the periodic rise and fall of civilizations.
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From page 66... ...
What we mean by religion in its widest and most universal sense includes all the beliefs and worldviews that have been studied and investigated under this subject. Thus, our view here is not solely confined to religion defined as "submission of man before a superior force" that would inevitably lead to the Lord and the unitary religions.
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From page 67... ...
They do not cause a sensual delight in the spectator, but rather convey benefaction, compassion, and beauty, and serve as the means of union with transcendental truth.13 This is the very essence that a Muslim gnostic Saadi Shirazi expresses: "Tang Cheshman Nazar be miveh konnand; Ma Tamashagar Bostanim." [Narrow-sighted niggards look at the fruit, [while] we behold the or chard.]
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From page 68... ...
, nine Lenten sermons on the days of creation, signify a term of six days, or, technically, the history of the six days' work of creation, as contained in the first chapter of Genesis. 18 Born AD 329, Caesarea Mazaca, Cappadocia; died January 1, 379, Caesarea; was Latin Basilius early Church Father who defended the orthodox faith against the heretical Arians.
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From page 69... ...
The Celtic monks were always seeking Divine epiphany, and they went on quests hoping to discover the harmony of the Lord's Creation.22 They sought the Lord in the mysterious cosmos. Pilgrimage, quest, and visiting creation have been repeatedly mentioned in Koranic monotheism.
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From page 70... ...
In this respect, he strongly defied some of the theologians and philosophers who, due to lack of precise understanding of metaphysical and cosmological concepts of nature, were inclined to classify any such speculation as pantheism, naturalism, and polytheism. Eriugena thus stated, "The Cosmos has a transcendental origin, and all creatures are from the Lord, but created through Jesus."26 Finally in the person of Saint Francis of Assisi27 we behold the most fantastic, respective attitude towards nature within the framework of a Christian saintly life.
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From page 71... ...
Adore neither the sun nor the moon, but adore Allah who created them."31 Although the Lord creates the living beings in nature, in the Koran's view, nature itself is not a soulless and lifeless entity. It is living.
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From page 72... ...
To provide further reasoning, he adds: "Meaning that because this manner of knowledge, that is knowledge about knowledge, which the Islamic philosophy calls compound knowledge, is particular to beings that are purely abstract who transcend the physical state."35 According to the Koran, all parts of nature share salvation and deliverance with human beings. Therefore, just like them, entities in nature, whether animate or inanimate, would gather in the Day of Gathering, or Day of Resurrection.
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From page 73... ...
"When the rulers tell lies to people, no rain shall fall."40 The glorious Koran presents an account of a past group of people, who because they committed sin and transgressed against divine precepts, were subjected to divine punishment through the wrath of nature. The people of Noah (Aad)
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From page 74... ...
And the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord."47 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION In past centuries, by distancing itself from the spiritual perception of nature, modern science had given man insight that has led to a dominating and transgressing ego in humans. This ego has brought about ruin and crisis while it confronted nature to satiate its inner desires.
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From page 75... ...
The time has now come for all those who are truly concerned with the human condition and seek an alternative solution to this crisis to once again recourse to the long and historical traditions of religions. There is a need to teach the study and exploration of nature using religious texts and sources within metaphysical teachings, to attest that it is only through the revival of a spiritual and divine conception and cognition of nature that humanity can neutralize the ruination of nature caused by application of modern science.
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From page 76... ...
Now that human thinkers are concerned about the depth of the catastrophe that has befallen the human environment, are worried about the future life of humanity, and confess to the role of public beliefs and convictions in resolving this crisis, the cultural figures and religious clergy shoulder a heavy responsibility. It is now time for this group of people to seriously and sincerely concentrate on this issue, and reintroduce genuine cultures, teachings, and traditions of religions towards educating the public in dealing with nature.
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