Judeo-Christian_World_View

Andrew Perrotta Professor Saucier-Bouffard 345-102-MQ Worldviews 31 March 2011 The Judeo-Christian Worldview A world view is a generalized prospective on how someone may view and act in the world around them based on their beliefs and values. The Judeo-Christian world view has influenced the course of not only humanity but all biodiversity around Earth. This anthropocentric world view has been criticized by many scholars such as Lynn T. White, Jr. as being a main cause for our ecological problems. The Judeo-Christian world view is undoubtedly the cause for most of our ecological problems of today’s world. The Judeo-Christian is a Western world view which is anthropocentric, and gives only intrinsic value to humans. “God created man in His own image [and said] let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (King James ll.26).” This controversial passage from the one of the first pages of the bible can be interpreted in many ways, but fundamentally it is what many Judeo-Christians still believe and act upon in today’s world. The Judeo Christian belief is an unarguably anthropocentric which means that all human beings are to regard themselves as the central and most significant entities in the universe. Man was created on the 6th day in the image of God giving him dominance over all living and non living thing such as plants and animals that was created before him. In Peter Singer’s “Environmental Values,” the reader is given many examples on how the Bible is seen anthropocentric such as explaining how all nature should be “subdued” and “ruled over.” According to singer this Western view derives from the Greek philosophy and attitude towards the natural world. “Aristotle regarded nature as a hierarchy in which those with less reasoning ability exist for the sake of those with more: Plants exist for the sake of animals, and brute beast for the sake of man....(Singer 89).’’ This view on nature can be seen in today’s society where it has instrumental value. This Worldview gives animals and all non-sentient beings non-intrinsic value meaning that they have been created for our use; they have no rights or values and could only be used as means of achieving something else. The Judeo-Christian world view is as Lynn T. White states at the base of our ecological problems. “No new set of basic values has been accepted in our society to displace those of Christianity. Hence we shall continue to have a worsening ecological crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man (White 224).” As westerners we live a very anthropocentric life only caring about our own human needs and wants. Unfortunate this mostly Judeo-Christians society has put us neck deep in ecological problems. Since Judeo-Christians believe that they have dominion over all we are converting land all around us for our wants causing habitats to be destroyed at an increasing rate as seen in “Environmental Values” by Peter Singer where the idea of building a dam is analyzed. Since Judeo-Christians believe that we should use nature instrumentally they would destroy the dam causing many animal and plant species to die and possibly become instinct when almost two species are disappearing every minute. Peter Singer explains the value of the environment for the future generations and the positivity it would bring such as a source of scientific knowledge and culture and recreational activities and grasp its infinite beauty (Singer 102). Lynn T. White explains how an alternative Christian view should be adopted for the sake of human and non human life. I, like White believe that a new interpretation of the Bible should be observed so that we could possibly become more responsible with the miracle of incredible intellect that we received have. Judeo-Christians should take a new interpretation of the bible by St. Francis of Assis, Basil, Albert Schwitzer and Andrew Linzey who explain that we should not take dominion, “subdue” and “rule over” nature. Instead we should respect nature and take care of it. I believe that all of nature is equal, including man, nature has value in and of itself because it is God created it man is not ruler over the creation we do not own it we should not have dominion over nature or exploit it, but instead borrow from it. Lastly nature should not only have instrumental value, after watching the movies in class it is not hard to see that animals have feelings and emotions as well and do not wish to die or be used instrumentally. Unfortunately the Western prospective has made animals and plants only useful for eating, medicine and even “wants” such as leather or fur like the Canada Goose winter jackets which are made from fox fur. We were once a part of nature as Lynn White states but with the evolution of science we began to take dominion over it. Humans are mammals and we come from the Great Apes therefore we are animals, we were once apart of natures circle of life and we should return to that circle instead of disrupting it before it is too late. In conclusion The Judeo-Christian is a Western world view which is anthropocentric, and gives only intrinsic value to humans. We as humans have the intellectual power to change and take up a new world view or at least new interpretation of the bible. Unfortunately like students who always leave their work to last minute we will need a dramatic event to notice that our consumption and anthropocentric ways has caused us to take part in the only species suicide. Work Cited White, L. “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis”, in Environmental Ethics (3rd edition), edited by S.Armstrong and R.Botzler (McGraw Hill, 2004), p.221. Singer, P. “Environmental Values”, in his Writings on an Ethical Life (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000), p.89 Genesis, Chapter 1, Bible (King James) ll.26