The reflection of where we come from might be helpful for the answer to the
question about where we want to go. With this contribution I would like to promote
the hypothesis that the nature of humans is a combination of both natural and cultural
components (1), that the natural component in our behaviour is not absolutely
determined, (2) and the cultural component is not totally free, (3) that the influence
of our natural surroundings on cultural behaviours, the nature of our cultural
behaviours, and the cultural influences on our natural surrounding are very important
aspects for the evaluation of perspectives, (4) that humans are part of the ecosystems
where they are walking and working, (5) and that the influence of humans on
ecosystems, species compositions, species, and populations, must not be judged as
negative in every case according to our own values and purposes.
Nature and culture are part of both humans and the environment.
And I want to pronounce that the extinction of any small insect that never has
been recognised or described by science, independent of the question of whether we
have used it or not, can be assessed as cultural loss, loss of values, knowledge and
possibilities, of colours, forms, and aesthetical reflection, of a part of the evolutionary history and of our cultural future, and even if the loss of this species for the
ecosystem as a whole might be negligible.
Central questions are:
How is environmental consciousness influenced by the biological constitution of
humans as result of the evolution?
What is the meaning of nature, culture, and Nature-Culture Dichotomy?
How is our basic conviction of responsible management of nature and the
environment influenced by the environmental history?
What are the influences of environmental tragedies, traditional knowledge, religion, science, communication and media on recent perception? How did the perception of the environment change during secularization and modern times?
How is the environmental behaviour, including risk management, connected with
the ecological knowledge and environmental consciousness?
2 Environmental Disasters, Creeping Changes
and Perception
There is debate about the differences between the terms hazard, catastrophe and
disaster with respect to the influence of humans. Some events are natural, others are
man-made, and the effect size in general is influenced by human technologies and
infrastructure, risk prevention strategies, and health care. However, there are also
disasters or catastrophes for other species on Earth, again human-caused or not. All
these terms that have dramatic effects for humans or other species are used synonymously in the following with respect to the debate of the Nature-Culture
Dichotomy.
20
C. Hobohm
question about where we want to go. With this contribution I would like to promote
the hypothesis that the nature of humans is a combination of both natural and cultural
components (1), that the natural component in our behaviour is not absolutely
determined, (2) and the cultural component is not totally free, (3) that the influence
of our natural surroundings on cultural behaviours, the nature of our cultural
behaviours, and the cultural influences on our natural surrounding are very important
aspects for the evaluation of perspectives, (4) that humans are part of the ecosystems
where they are walking and working, (5) and that the influence of humans on
ecosystems, species compositions, species, and populations, must not be judged as
negative in every case according to our own values and purposes.
Nature and culture are part of both humans and the environment.
And I want to pronounce that the extinction of any small insect that never has
been recognised or described by science, independent of the question of whether we
have used it or not, can be assessed as cultural loss, loss of values, knowledge and
possibilities, of colours, forms, and aesthetical reflection, of a part of the evolutionary history and of our cultural future, and even if the loss of this species for the
ecosystem as a whole might be negligible.
Central questions are:
How is environmental consciousness influenced by the biological constitution of
humans as result of the evolution?
What is the meaning of nature, culture, and Nature-Culture Dichotomy?
How is our basic conviction of responsible management of nature and the
environment influenced by the environmental history?
What are the influences of environmental tragedies, traditional knowledge, religion, science, communication and media on recent perception? How did the perception of the environment change during secularization and modern times?
How is the environmental behaviour, including risk management, connected with
the ecological knowledge and environmental consciousness?
2 Environmental Disasters, Creeping Changes
and Perception
There is debate about the differences between the terms hazard, catastrophe and
disaster with respect to the influence of humans. Some events are natural, others are
man-made, and the effect size in general is influenced by human technologies and
infrastructure, risk prevention strategies, and health care. However, there are also
disasters or catastrophes for other species on Earth, again human-caused or not. All
these terms that have dramatic effects for humans or other species are used synonymously in the following with respect to the debate of the Nature-Culture
Dichotomy.
20
C. Hobohm