An Alternative Approach to Environmental Ethics Education from the perspectives of CHAE(體)-YONG(用)-SANG(相) Theory

환경윤리교육의 체용론(體用論)적 접근 방안 - <자연-경제-환경>의 연계성을 중심으로 -

  • Published : 2000.07.01

Abstract

There are some considerations that must take into account in environmental education in the aspect of the difference of value clarification between ecological and economic viewpoint on environment. Although we have a tendency to think that the differences are unavoidable because we are on the economy-oriented life, we should realize that such emphasis to economics comes from the differences between ecological and economic view point on environment. We have lived and thought on the basis of Economic view point, especially, environmental policies are established on the basis of economic efficiency. But this tendency has become great obstacles to environmental ethics education because it dilutes the reason of natural preservation and removes the fundamental reasons why the nature should be preserved. Therefore it is very difficult to balance the value clarification between economic and ecological viewpoint in actual life. Furthermore, environmental problems can not be solved only through economic approach, because of their limits to belief solving from providing incentives. It is very important to make people have a way of thinking which economic activities and debates can be made on the ecological resources. Therefore we can compare this relation to CHAE-YONG founded on Buddism and Chinese philosophy. CHAE means essence of every reaction in the cosmos, and YONG means the reaction itself. CHAE is regarded to ecological resources, and YONG is thought to every-day economic activities. YONG is not able to existwithout CHAE. If economic activities can be done on the basic limit of ecological resources, we can build suitable environment to living condition. We call this appropriate environment as SANG. In other words, the connection of CHAE-YONG-SANG means ecological resources - economic activities - sustainable environment. It is realized that the relations between economics and ecology should be equalized for the balanced environmental ethics education. This study tries to get out of unbalanced relations between economics and ecology from the persepectives of CHAE-YONG-SANG and it was done to suggest an alternative environmental ethics education program

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