Modern philosophy developed around Descartes’ concept of the subject, but its anthropocentrism and rationalism have been criticized by environmentalists and Heidegger. They argue that modern philosophy has led to environmental degradation and ecological crises because it views nature as an object of human domination.
At the center of the problem-setting of Descartes and his descendants, who initiated modern philosophy, was the concept of the subject. Descartes’ statement, “I think, therefore I am,” placed the human subject at the center of philosophy and established the foundation of modern philosophy. This subject-centered thinking emphasizes reason and rationality, and sees humans as having the ability to understand and control nature and the world. However, modern philosophy has faced challenges since Hegel, and the dominant ideology of modern philosophy, which places humans at the center of everything, has been subject to criticism. With the development of philosophical thought, anthropocentrism has been revisited and criticized from various perspectives.
One of the most prominent criticisms of modern philosophy comes from environmentalists. According to environmentalists, modern philosophy is based on a dichotomy that identifies humans as subjects and nature as an object to be perceived and controlled by humans. This dichotomy led to the view of nature as simply a resource to fulfill human needs, which ignored its intrinsic value. As a result, it is argued, this dichotomy promoted the unjust ideology that humans are the rulers of nature. This ideology spread rapidly with the Industrial Revolution, and the view of nature as an inexhaustible resource led to overdevelopment and environmental degradation.
Environmentalists pointed to scientism, which dominated the modern era and is still dominant today. Influenced by modern philosophy, scientism views nature as a storehouse of resources that can be quantified, calculated, and accessed at all times. This view reduced the relationship between humans and nature to an instrumental and one-sided one, which environmentalists argue has led to the destruction of nature and a general crisis in human life. The destruction of ecosystems and climate change, in particular, are stark examples of the negative effects of this view. Human overdevelopment causes a variety of environmental problems, including global warming, ocean pollution, and biodiversity loss, which in turn have serious implications for humans themselves.
One modern philosopher who has provided a philosophical foundation for this environmentalist critique is Heidegger. Heidegger pointed out that a fundamental feature of modern philosophy is anthropocentrism and rationalism. This is based on calculative reason, which makes everything in existence an object that can be recognized, grasped, and dominated by humans. In other words, reason as calculative reason has reduced all “beings” to objects to be dominated by humans as “subjects,” and the original meaning of existence has been lost. Heidegger believes that this calculative reason has led to the instrumental rationality of modern society. Instrumental rationality emphasizes efficiency and productivity, and tends to instrumentalize all beings, including nature, to achieve human ends.
Heidegger broke new ground in his reflection on the meaning of existence, arguing that beings exist in relationships that are meaningfully bound together in a whole, and that they are inseparable from those relationships and have a uniqueness that cannot be replaced by anything else in that whole. This view emphasizes the interconnectedness between humans, nature, and beings, and recognizes the inherent value of beings. It suggests the possibility of a new philosophical thought that goes beyond the anthropocentric thought of modern philosophy.
Modern philosophy has been centered on the human subject, but it has faced various criticisms and challenges that have revealed its limitations. In particular, the critiques of environmentalists and Heidegger have contributed to pointing out the problems of anthropocentrism and rationalism in modern philosophy and exploring the possibility of new ways of thinking. These criticisms have important implications for the direction of modern philosophy and call for the kind of reflective examination that is essential for rethinking the relationship between humans and nature and seeking a sustainable future. New philosophical explorations should continue to build on the legacy of modern philosophy while pushing its limits. Especially in the modern world, where environmental issues are increasing in severity, philosophy should be able to provide wisdom for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. This means that philosophy should not only be a theoretical inquiry, but also a practical wisdom.
