Unlike traditional literature where animals are often portrayed allegorically as mere symbols,in Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley’s The Horses of Oak Valley Ranch series,the portrayal of horses underscores their dis...Unlike traditional literature where animals are often portrayed allegorically as mere symbols,in Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley’s The Horses of Oak Valley Ranch series,the portrayal of horses underscores their distinct individuality and autonomy.Focusing on three novels in the series-A Good Horse,True Blue,and Pie in the Sky,this paper analyzes how Smiley crafts a narrative that resists anthropocentrism and validates the subjectivity of nonhuman animals.By examining the unique reactions of horses in various situations,such as their differing facial expressions before a jump,their various responses to feeding and grooming,and their individualistic moving behaviors,this study reveals how Smiley highlights the psychological and physical diversity within a single species.The horses’individual traits are portrayed not as mere animal instinct but as conscious,intentional responses that signify their agency.Drawing on Marc Bekoff’s defense of animal individuality,Val Plumwood’s condemnation of anthropocentrism,and Cynthia Willett’s critique of speciesism,the paper argues that Smiley’s representation of equine individualistic behaviors is an affirmation of the inherent subjectivity of animals.Through these detailed descriptions,Smiley challenges the Cartesian notion of animals as mere automatons and encourages readers to recognize animals as complex individuals.Ultimately,this study emphasizes the significance of acknowledging animal subjectivity in fostering a more ethical and harmonious human-animal relationship.展开更多
Within the framework of eco-feminist theory,this paper,taking Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" as a specific example,to explain how women and nature are marginalized and reduced to aphasia conditio...Within the framework of eco-feminist theory,this paper,taking Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" as a specific example,to explain how women and nature are marginalized and reduced to aphasia condition in literature.The paper presents a detailed analysis of the language of the poem,reveals men's anthropocentric-andocentric attitudes toward nature and women and proposes the decentralization or the relation of "anotherness" as a possible way to reestablish a healthy culture(men)-nature(women) relationship.展开更多
In this paper I like to revisit Bhumisukta of the Atharvaveda in the backdrop of present-day environmentalism. It is divided into three parts. In Part 1 I like to give a synoptic view of contemporary environmentalism,...In this paper I like to revisit Bhumisukta of the Atharvaveda in the backdrop of present-day environmentalism. It is divided into three parts. In Part 1 I like to give a synoptic view of contemporary environmentalism, as reflected in Arne Naess＇s Deep Ecology. In Part 2 I make an exposition of the Bhumisukta, particularly those verses （mantras） which are directly relevant to our environmental concerns. To say the truth, this Bhumisukta （also called the Pcthivisitkta） epitomizes the Vedic Hindu eco-culture. The Bhumisukta （which literally means, the Hymn or Prayer to the Earth） is the oldest and the most evocative environmental discourse. It is called ＂the first natural anthem＂ in the history of mankind. It constitutes the first anuvgtka of dvgtda~ kgm. da of the Atharvaveda and contains 63 verses （mantras） devoted to glorifying the Earth as sacred and inviolable. Many prayers have been sung for the preservation and conservation of Nature and its gifts of splendor. The Bh^misftkta talks about human dependence on the Nature and respect for the same that follows naturally. It proclaims of the Earth as the mother, and humanity as her children Bhumisukta, putro＇ham pr. thivyah＂ In Part 3 1 like to make a brief but critical observation regarding the loss of continuity of Vedic tradition in view of an objection made by some Western environmentalists. In this concluding part I like to respond to the objection that so called eco-sensitive cultures could not avert environmental pollution and depletion of Nature in countries, like India.展开更多
In the present article,the author posits that the perception that animals apparently display a strategy of avoiding detection by means of camouflage—i.e.,by disguising themselves in the natural colours of their envir...In the present article,the author posits that the perception that animals apparently display a strategy of avoiding detection by means of camouflage—i.e.,by disguising themselves in the natural colours of their environment—is not the actual case in nature but,rather,merely anecdotal.Animal coloration is mainly a-biotic(eco-physiological)and not biotic(camouflage).The contention regarding the absence of the phenomenon of camouflage among animals as a common evolutionary response is based on three arguments:(1)that reflecting the natural colours of the environment is linked to ecophysiology;(2)that predator and prey constitute“an evolutionary pair”and,accordingly,they know how to identify one another(in order to survive they employ different strategies,of which camouflage is not one of them);and (3)that the approach of relating animal camouflage to reflecting the colours of the environment is an anthropocentric one.Rather than the accepted biotic-ethological approach(colour camouflage),the present article suggests the recognition of a-biotic and eco-physiological conditions as a distinct research field,whose title“Reflection of environmental colours by animals”,along with this article,calls for eco-physiologists to demonstrate that this approach indeed offers a special contribution to the understanding of colouration in animals.展开更多
The systemic view on industry and on production and consumption pattern is an essential feature of the industrial ecology （IE） concept. One consequence of this view is to investigate industrial flows and consumer ac...The systemic view on industry and on production and consumption pattern is an essential feature of the industrial ecology （IE） concept. One consequence of this view is to investigate industrial flows and consumer activities, and their effects on the environment in order to evaluate and eventually optimize these flows with the help of a systems methodology. Industrial ecology has been developed by engineers and natural scientists and its ethical core canon often manifests in anthropocentric assertions such as harmonizing the contradiction between nature and culture with scientific expertise, appropriate technology and socio-economic management. This paper argues however for a biocentric inspired, normative reading of some characteristics of industrial ecology＇s systems methodology. The presumption for the value of this endeavor is that industrial ecology＇s systems methodology has a potential for developing directions for the design of a possible sustainable world.展开更多
Famous for giving voice to Bertha, the marginalized mad woman in the attic in Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea is filled with vivid description of nature, which contributes to the successful characterization of main chara...Famous for giving voice to Bertha, the marginalized mad woman in the attic in Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea is filled with vivid description of nature, which contributes to the successful characterization of main characters and shows the theme of the relationship between nature and human beings. However few attention is paid to that theme. The mythological and archetypal approach is thus adopted to analyze three major characters and fill the gap. Antoinette is viewed as the daughter of nature. Christophine functions as the incarnation of nature. Rochester plays the role of the intruder who does harm to nature. To conclude, Wide Sargasso Sea is not only a criticism of anthropocentrism but also a warning bell to the stereotyped opposition in the western culture. After the successful shaking of the fixed order, Wide Sargasso Sea also drops a hint that there exists the hope to build a new world where human beings and nature, men and women keep a harmonious and balanced relationship.展开更多
China has proposed the notion of sustainable development in the framework of a hazardous society in response to global environmental challenges.Research on regulatory concerns is critical for ensuring the application ...China has proposed the notion of sustainable development in the framework of a hazardous society in response to global environmental challenges.Research on regulatory concerns is critical for ensuring the application of the concept of sustainable development in the building industry.China’s regulation,on the other hand,suffers from a lack of supply and an ambiguous value orientation.The former is a symptom of the current regulatory structure,whereas the latter is the root of the problem.To overcome the value-oriented dilemma,some studies plan to conduct research using the logic of the norm.This has the disadvantage of having a limited field of vision.The interaction between man and nature should be considered while examining value orientation.When anthropocentrism,ecocentrism,and anthropocentrism in ecology are compared to the environmental legislation in my nation,it is clear that anthropocentrism in ecology is the value orientation that should be followed at the moment.Three challenges that require attention are presented based on this value orientation,as well as the uniqueness of the construction industry and risk society theory.展开更多
Silent Spring is Rachel Carson's scientific documentation of the widespread harmful consequences of undistinguished pesticide use, in which her ecological thinking is visible in every corner. Therefore the followi...Silent Spring is Rachel Carson's scientific documentation of the widespread harmful consequences of undistinguished pesticide use, in which her ecological thinking is visible in every corner. Therefore the following paper intends to analyze Carson's ecological thinking from the perspective of eco-criticism. The whole paper consists of three parts. The first part concerns the introduction of the author Rachel Carson, the work Silent Spring and the theory Eco-criticism applied in the paper. The second part is the mainbody, concerning the concrete analysis of Carson's ecological thinking by applying eco-criticism. Carson's ecological thinking can be summarized as the following four points: the first two points concern her criticism for anthropocentric values of system and over development of industrialization and science. The other two points concern her support for ecological holism and eco-morality. The last part arrives at the following conclusion that Carson's thinking has begun with the criticism for tangible harm of eco-crisis and has lifted to the intangible level of ideology. Besides, she attempts to solve the eco-crisis from its bottom- the ideology that causes such crisis. Besides, her diversified ecological thinking demonstrates her profound thinking and her deep concern for the eco-crisis.展开更多
Opposed to a commonly held interpretation that Confucian discourse regarding tianren heyi （天人合一） is simply a human-centred philosophical fusion of humanity and nature, this article argues that the Confucian disc...Opposed to a commonly held interpretation that Confucian discourse regarding tianren heyi （天人合一） is simply a human-centred philosophical fusion of humanity and nature, this article argues that the Confucian discourse is in fact composed of two contradictory orientations, one ten-centred （roughly equivalent to ＂anthropocentric＂） and the other tian-centred （＂nature-centric＂ in a specific sense）, which generally correspond to the two major camps of environmental philosophy in the West in the twentieth century. It will be further argued that the two orientations of the Confucian view have different yet related functions with regard to environmental protection and conservation： the tian-centred understanding establishes a metaphysical and religious framework for Confucian eco-ethical norms, in which ecological prohibitions and policies are built into the political and religious infrastructure, while the ten-centred orientation adds practical values and meanings to the ontological care of the human relation to the environment. In modem times, the two orientations of Confucian eco-ethics are under further development, moving away from being dualistic philosophies and converging on the eco-ethical way of life. Contemporary Confueians are investigating how the two traditional ＂orientations＂ can be unified as one holistic perspective which could provide theoretical and practical guidance for our understanding of the human position in the universe, the harmony between humans and nature, and the value of environmental protection and conservation.展开更多
文摘Unlike traditional literature where animals are often portrayed allegorically as mere symbols,in Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley’s The Horses of Oak Valley Ranch series,the portrayal of horses underscores their distinct individuality and autonomy.Focusing on three novels in the series-A Good Horse,True Blue,and Pie in the Sky,this paper analyzes how Smiley crafts a narrative that resists anthropocentrism and validates the subjectivity of nonhuman animals.By examining the unique reactions of horses in various situations,such as their differing facial expressions before a jump,their various responses to feeding and grooming,and their individualistic moving behaviors,this study reveals how Smiley highlights the psychological and physical diversity within a single species.The horses’individual traits are portrayed not as mere animal instinct but as conscious,intentional responses that signify their agency.Drawing on Marc Bekoff’s defense of animal individuality,Val Plumwood’s condemnation of anthropocentrism,and Cynthia Willett’s critique of speciesism,the paper argues that Smiley’s representation of equine individualistic behaviors is an affirmation of the inherent subjectivity of animals.Through these detailed descriptions,Smiley challenges the Cartesian notion of animals as mere automatons and encourages readers to recognize animals as complex individuals.Ultimately,this study emphasizes the significance of acknowledging animal subjectivity in fostering a more ethical and harmonious human-animal relationship.
文摘Within the framework of eco-feminist theory,this paper,taking Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" as a specific example,to explain how women and nature are marginalized and reduced to aphasia condition in literature.The paper presents a detailed analysis of the language of the poem,reveals men's anthropocentric-andocentric attitudes toward nature and women and proposes the decentralization or the relation of "anotherness" as a possible way to reestablish a healthy culture(men)-nature(women) relationship.
文摘In this paper I like to revisit Bhumisukta of the Atharvaveda in the backdrop of present-day environmentalism. It is divided into three parts. In Part 1 I like to give a synoptic view of contemporary environmentalism, as reflected in Arne Naess＇s Deep Ecology. In Part 2 I make an exposition of the Bhumisukta, particularly those verses （mantras） which are directly relevant to our environmental concerns. To say the truth, this Bhumisukta （also called the Pcthivisitkta） epitomizes the Vedic Hindu eco-culture. The Bhumisukta （which literally means, the Hymn or Prayer to the Earth） is the oldest and the most evocative environmental discourse. It is called ＂the first natural anthem＂ in the history of mankind. It constitutes the first anuvgtka of dvgtda~ kgm. da of the Atharvaveda and contains 63 verses （mantras） devoted to glorifying the Earth as sacred and inviolable. Many prayers have been sung for the preservation and conservation of Nature and its gifts of splendor. The Bh^misftkta talks about human dependence on the Nature and respect for the same that follows naturally. It proclaims of the Earth as the mother, and humanity as her children Bhumisukta, putro＇ham pr. thivyah＂ In Part 3 1 like to make a brief but critical observation regarding the loss of continuity of Vedic tradition in view of an objection made by some Western environmentalists. In this concluding part I like to respond to the objection that so called eco-sensitive cultures could not avert environmental pollution and depletion of Nature in countries, like India.
文摘In the present article,the author posits that the perception that animals apparently display a strategy of avoiding detection by means of camouflage—i.e.,by disguising themselves in the natural colours of their environment—is not the actual case in nature but,rather,merely anecdotal.Animal coloration is mainly a-biotic(eco-physiological)and not biotic(camouflage).The contention regarding the absence of the phenomenon of camouflage among animals as a common evolutionary response is based on three arguments:(1)that reflecting the natural colours of the environment is linked to ecophysiology;(2)that predator and prey constitute“an evolutionary pair”and,accordingly,they know how to identify one another(in order to survive they employ different strategies,of which camouflage is not one of them);and (3)that the approach of relating animal camouflage to reflecting the colours of the environment is an anthropocentric one.Rather than the accepted biotic-ethological approach(colour camouflage),the present article suggests the recognition of a-biotic and eco-physiological conditions as a distinct research field,whose title“Reflection of environmental colours by animals”,along with this article,calls for eco-physiologists to demonstrate that this approach indeed offers a special contribution to the understanding of colouration in animals.
文摘The systemic view on industry and on production and consumption pattern is an essential feature of the industrial ecology （IE） concept. One consequence of this view is to investigate industrial flows and consumer activities, and their effects on the environment in order to evaluate and eventually optimize these flows with the help of a systems methodology. Industrial ecology has been developed by engineers and natural scientists and its ethical core canon often manifests in anthropocentric assertions such as harmonizing the contradiction between nature and culture with scientific expertise, appropriate technology and socio-economic management. This paper argues however for a biocentric inspired, normative reading of some characteristics of industrial ecology＇s systems methodology. The presumption for the value of this endeavor is that industrial ecology＇s systems methodology has a potential for developing directions for the design of a possible sustainable world.
文摘Famous for giving voice to Bertha, the marginalized mad woman in the attic in Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea is filled with vivid description of nature, which contributes to the successful characterization of main characters and shows the theme of the relationship between nature and human beings. However few attention is paid to that theme. The mythological and archetypal approach is thus adopted to analyze three major characters and fill the gap. Antoinette is viewed as the daughter of nature. Christophine functions as the incarnation of nature. Rochester plays the role of the intruder who does harm to nature. To conclude, Wide Sargasso Sea is not only a criticism of anthropocentrism but also a warning bell to the stereotyped opposition in the western culture. After the successful shaking of the fixed order, Wide Sargasso Sea also drops a hint that there exists the hope to build a new world where human beings and nature, men and women keep a harmonious and balanced relationship.
文摘China has proposed the notion of sustainable development in the framework of a hazardous society in response to global environmental challenges.Research on regulatory concerns is critical for ensuring the application of the concept of sustainable development in the building industry.China’s regulation,on the other hand,suffers from a lack of supply and an ambiguous value orientation.The former is a symptom of the current regulatory structure,whereas the latter is the root of the problem.To overcome the value-oriented dilemma,some studies plan to conduct research using the logic of the norm.This has the disadvantage of having a limited field of vision.The interaction between man and nature should be considered while examining value orientation.When anthropocentrism,ecocentrism,and anthropocentrism in ecology are compared to the environmental legislation in my nation,it is clear that anthropocentrism in ecology is the value orientation that should be followed at the moment.Three challenges that require attention are presented based on this value orientation,as well as the uniqueness of the construction industry and risk society theory.
文摘Silent Spring is Rachel Carson's scientific documentation of the widespread harmful consequences of undistinguished pesticide use, in which her ecological thinking is visible in every corner. Therefore the following paper intends to analyze Carson's ecological thinking from the perspective of eco-criticism. The whole paper consists of three parts. The first part concerns the introduction of the author Rachel Carson, the work Silent Spring and the theory Eco-criticism applied in the paper. The second part is the mainbody, concerning the concrete analysis of Carson's ecological thinking by applying eco-criticism. Carson's ecological thinking can be summarized as the following four points: the first two points concern her criticism for anthropocentric values of system and over development of industrialization and science. The other two points concern her support for ecological holism and eco-morality. The last part arrives at the following conclusion that Carson's thinking has begun with the criticism for tangible harm of eco-crisis and has lifted to the intangible level of ideology. Besides, she attempts to solve the eco-crisis from its bottom- the ideology that causes such crisis. Besides, her diversified ecological thinking demonstrates her profound thinking and her deep concern for the eco-crisis.
文摘Opposed to a commonly held interpretation that Confucian discourse regarding tianren heyi （天人合一） is simply a human-centred philosophical fusion of humanity and nature, this article argues that the Confucian discourse is in fact composed of two contradictory orientations, one ten-centred （roughly equivalent to ＂anthropocentric＂） and the other tian-centred （＂nature-centric＂ in a specific sense）, which generally correspond to the two major camps of environmental philosophy in the West in the twentieth century. It will be further argued that the two orientations of the Confucian view have different yet related functions with regard to environmental protection and conservation： the tian-centred understanding establishes a metaphysical and religious framework for Confucian eco-ethical norms, in which ecological prohibitions and policies are built into the political and religious infrastructure, while the ten-centred orientation adds practical values and meanings to the ontological care of the human relation to the environment. In modem times, the two orientations of Confucian eco-ethics are under further development, moving away from being dualistic philosophies and converging on the eco-ethical way of life. Contemporary Confueians are investigating how the two traditional ＂orientations＂ can be unified as one holistic perspective which could provide theoretical and practical guidance for our understanding of the human position in the universe, the harmony between humans and nature, and the value of environmental protection and conservation.
