The Natural World in Western Thought

Mazhar Ali Jarwar (), Stefano Dumontet and Vincenzo Pasquale
Additional contact information
Mazhar Ali Jarwar: Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, 80143 Naples, Italy
Stefano Dumontet: Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, 80143 Naples, Italy
Vincenzo Pasquale: Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, 80143 Naples, Italy

Challenges, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: The Western approach to the natural world, considering “nature” as an object of scientific scrutiny and of exploitation for economic purposes, results in a separateness and subsequent alienation from nature. The overarching aim of this paper is to emphasize the limitations and consequences of this approach, including how nature is perceived, the value attributed to nature, and the substantial denial of cultural contributions from non-Western philosophical and scientific backgrounds. We also consider the Western attempt at balancing industrial and technological endeavors, aimed at preserving ecological equilibria. In this framework, we argue that the current ever-increasing concern about sustainability cannot be decoupled from the perception of nature and natural values, whether material, aesthetic, or spiritual. Therefore, modern sustainability challenges, mainly attributable to Western overexploitation of nature and natural resources, need to be considered in the context of the limited Western paradigms, which often leave the very definition of nature unanswered. We argue that efforts to ease the anthropogenic pressure on natural ecosystems, leading to their degradation, cannot be uniquely bounded by Western science and its technological appendices.

Keywords: ecological equilibria; ecosystem; natural world; Indigenous thought; Western thought (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A00 C00 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/15/1/17/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/15/1/17/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jchals:v:15:y:2024:i:1:p:17-:d:1360549

Access Statistics for this article

Challenges is currently edited by Ms. Karen Sun

More articles in Challenges from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().