Environmental Issue Choice Theory: Rational Thinking in the Era of Ecological Civilization

Author: Gao Zhonghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Environmental issues are the realistic and urgent central topics of our time. This book takes the proposal of environmental issues as the starting point, examines the causes of environmental problems using a systematic paradigm, and ultimately focuses on reconstructing harmonious relationships between humans and nature, as well as between humans themselves under the strategy of sustainable development. The fundamental viewpoint of this book is that environmental problems appear to be the result of conflicts between humans and nature, but their underlying roots are the product of the interaction of economic, social, and ideological issues. On a practical level, environmental problems are direct or indirect results of economic activities carried out under the guidance of the development concept of industrialization, particularly the economic development theory of industrialization. From the perspective of social relations, environmental problems are the reflection of social alienation, human alienation, and labor alienation in nature. From a theoretical reflection, environmental problems are the result of excessive and inflated human-centered expansion and growth based on the mechanical worldview and cultural view, established on the foundation of the industrial civilization system. Whenever people face a crisis, they are confronted with significant choices. Sustainable development has become the common development strategy adopted by the international community today to resolve the environmental crisis. Under the strategy of sustainable development, reconstructing the relationship between the subject and the object, coordinating the relationship between humans and nature, as well as between humans themselves, establishing Marxist ecological awareness, promoting clean production, developing ecological industries, transforming social relations, and changing the unreasonable international political and economic order will be the correct choices for humanity to solve environmental problems. In short, facing an imbalanced planet, the choice is in our hands. The main theoretical viewpoints elaborated in this book are: , viewing environmental problems as "complex world" issues and examining them from a unique perspective using a systematic paradigm. It reveals and argues that environmental problems are essentially the sharp opposition and conflict between modern civilization and the ecosystem, or that the inherent flaws of industrial civilization inevitably lead to environmental problems, thereby reflecting on the "alienation" of civilization. It proposes that people often fight against the alienated results of their own activities rather than the root causes of alienation, and often fight against superficial rather than deep-rooted alienation, resulting in greater alienation in the fight against alienation. It further proposes that ecological civilization is both an inheritance and an advancement of industrial civilization. Second, it scientifically clarifies and defines the concept of anthropocentrism, explicitly stating that the new anthropocentrism, as a deep philosophical value and practical attitude, cannot be surpassed or "overcome" and will continue to plan and guide humanity's sustainable development mode. Reconstructing the relationship between the subject and the object under the strategy of sustainable development, and thereby establishing harmonious relationships between humans and nature, as well as between humans and society, is the inevitable choice for humanity to solve environmental problems. Third, it elucidates the role and inspiration of Confucianism's "harmony" thought in correcting current issues and promoting a sustainable development perspective. The author argues that Confucianism's "harmony" thought shares the same philosophical foundation with sustainable development. As a high-level philosophical principle in ancient China for regulating various conflicting relationships between humans and nature, humans and society, humans and others, and within humans themselves, its thinking tendency aligns perfectly with the dynamic balance and coordinated development requirements advocated by sustainable development.