I Don't Think but I Still Am

1209 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How humans interfere with the ecosystem

I Don’t Think but I Still Am
Modern society and the Australian aborigines share many differences, but one really stands out. The Aborigines have a great respect for nature. They believe that everything comes from the Dreamtime, so they treat everything like it’s another human. Modern western society is very different. People in modern society have almost no respect for the natural world. Most humans have a need to control nature, but by doing that, they are destroying it. Technological advances only promote this because they are the result of the need to control. If the earth continues to be treated poorly by the majority of society, it will cease to exist. The advance in human technology and need to control everything has caused a poor treatment of nature in modern western society that will lead to the destruction of the natural world, but can be solved by better respecting the earth like the Australian aborigines do.
Most humans have a need to control the world, but this involves destroying and containing nature. Renè Descartes statement—“I think therefore I am”—is a way of separating man from nature because—as he put it—the point was to “render ourselves the lords and possessors of nature”(45). Descartes implies that anything that doesn’t think is not necessary to respect and should be controlled those that do think. Modern society follows this philosophy with a disrespect and need to gain ascendancy over the natural world. People try to contain forests and they just take what they want from nature. In Genesis, Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge because they want to be in control of what they do while in the Garden of Eden (7). They have a need to know what the fruit does so they can gain sovereignty over th...

... middle of paper ...

...ec 2013. BitterCrank, Online Posting to Philosophy Forums. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.
Lawlor, Robert. Voices of the First Day: Awakening in the Aboriginal Dreamtime. 1st ed. Rochester: Inner Traditions International, Ltd., 1991. 17-61. Print.
Miles, Emily. "10 Biggest Environmental Issues Facing The Modern World." Environment. N.p., 30 May 2013. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. .
"Pollution." Green Student U. .
USDA ERS, . Certified organic and total U.S. acreage, selected crops and livestock, 1995-2011. 2011. Chart. ERS.USDA.govWeb. 20 Dec 2013.
“WILD SEAFOOD ISSUE: OVERFISHING Are We Too Good at Catching Fish?.’’ Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

Show More
Related

  • The Other Side Of The Sacred Analysis

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human beings have made much of purity and are repelled by blood, pollution, putrefaction (Snyder, 119). Nature is sacred. We are enjoying it and destroying it simultaneously. Sometimes it is easier to see charming things than the decomposition hidden in the “shade”.We only notice the beautiful side of nature, which are benefits that nature brings us: food, fresh air, water, landscapes. But we forget the other side, the rottenness of human destruction. That is how human beings create “the other side of the sacred”. We cut trees for papers, but we fail to recognize that the lack of trees is the lack of fresh air. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge “the other side of the

    Read More

  • Ten Canoes Belonging

    429 Words  | 1 Pages

    In reference to the movie 10 Canoes and other research, discuss the importance of the Dreaming in the life of Aboriginal people.

    Read More

  • Island Civilization Summary

    615 Words  | 2 Pages

    At one point in our lives as human beings we began to draw mental lines between ourselves and nature. This is something that has gradually been increasing throughout their years. Most people do not seem to notice all of these constant changes simply because we are used to the type of world we live in now. I believe that in order for somebody to understand what's happening these negative changes need to affect us as individuals. For example, many people don't realize cutting down trees to build businesses will eventually cause the world to be unsustainable. Nature is something very necessary. "Wilderness" in old English was something that had its own will, just like you mentioned in paragraph three. The Wild is a place where wild undomesticated animals should be allowed to roam

    Read More

  • Deconstructing the Dichotomy of Aboriginal Dreamings

    1929 Words  | 4 Pages

    1991 On Being Woken Up: The Dreamtime in Anthropology and in Australian Settler Culture Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 33, No. 2 pp. 197-224 http://www.jstor.org/stable/178901 .

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of 'An Entrance To The Woods'

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    Man has destroyed nature, and for years now, man has not been living in nature. Instead, only little portions of nature are left in the world

    Read More

  • Aboriginal Dreamtime Analysis

    302 Words  | 1 Pages

    Across the Aboriginal territory, you’ll find traditional paintings made by the them and which speak of their understanding of the world and of its creation, The Dreamtime. According to the Aboriginal people and their Dreaming stories, their old ancestors emerged from the earth as supernatural beings, creating every part of nature such as all the existing animals, trees, rocks, rivers, plants, that we know today. In present time, a common belief exists among the Aborigines that the sacred spirit of the ancestors still remains alive in some natural elements and places. Henceforth, the Dreamtime is a period, still existing, with its purpose to connect the past and the present, the people and the land.

    Read More

  • Indigenous Australians

    1582 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aboriginal spirituality originally derives from the stories of the dreaming. The dreaming is the knowledge and a sense of belonging that the Aboriginals had of the beginning of life and the relationship to the land and sea (Australian Museum, 2011). The dreaming stories are passed on from one generation to the next orally. These stories teach the following generations how to behave towards the land and other people. The dreaming stories give them a sense of duty to protect the land and appreciate it because the dreamtime stories indicate that the spirits have not died but are still alive in different forms as animals or humans, therefore the ancestor’s power is still felt through the landforms (Clark, 1963), (Australian Governement, 2008)

    Read More

  • Taking a Look at Overfishing

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    Earth's oceans make up over 75% of the Earth as a whole. With that being said, it is vital to understand the significance on the contents of the oceans. Since fish and marine products make up a large portion of our diet, fishing practices need to be properly managed. In this essay, overfishing will be defined, its consequences will be revealed, and plans for proper fish distribution will be executed.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Island Civilization By Robert Frazier Nash

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay Island Civilization: A Vision for Human Occupancy of Earth , Robert Frazier Nash discusses the past and present human impact on the environment and offers solutions for the distant fourth millennium.

    Read More

  • Pop Culture and Its Interaction to Nature

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...when was the last movie released that portrayed humans treating Mother Nature with compassion and love, rather than as an object? From this, it can be determined that popular culture definitely reflects the human perspective of nature, especially in relation to how it is treated. One may argue that popular culture shapes our view of nature, due to the fact that media released to the public shows humans destroying nature. If seen in a movie, one is more likely to “do it”. This statement can be negated due to the fact that we as humans are performing the destruction of nature, and are exposing it to societies around the world, in an effort to stop it in the future. Humankind is only a small portion of nature, but we are causing it most time. Hence, reflecting the destruction of nature by humans in popular culture, making an effort to end it in years to come.

    Read More

  • Yolngu Boy: The Story of Three Adolescents

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ronald, M, Catherine, H, 1988, The World of the First Australians Aboriginal Traditional Life: Past and Present, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra

    Read More

  • The Effects of Overfishing on the Restaurant Industry

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    To fish or not to fish is a personal choice. The fact that the oceans are being overfished is a growing concern for individuals, organizations, and governments throughout the world. In this paper I want to discuss the effects of overfishing on the restaurant industry, and possible solutions to solve the problem. Fishing is an ongoing source of food for people around the world. In many countries it is a food staple in their everyday diet. In more modern societies eating fish has become a sensual experience, and not just for the wealthy. It hasn't been until population explosions in the last century that the demand for seafood has led to more effective fishing techniques and technologies. Now the demand for popular fish like the salmon, tuna, sea bass, cod and hoki, which is the key fish in McDonalds filet o' fish, is diving wild populations to dangerously low levels. The methods used to catch the amount of fish demanded by the industry do not leave sustainable populations in the wild. In an attempt to preserve the fish population, governments have set limits on the minimum size that may be harvested and how many of each may be taken. Boundaries have been set up saying which areas can be fished and which ones should be left alone. A number of smaller fisheries have gone out of business because of the limits imposed by the government. This leads to even less fish being harvested and brought to market. Therefore the amount and varieties of fish at markets are smaller and can cause shortages for wholesalers and restaurants. Some restaurants will no longer have the variety on their menus that they used to enjoy. If a restaurant thrives on its seafood menu they may be unable to cope with the shortages and will go out of business. In the ...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Overfishing

    1623 Words  | 4 Pages

    Overfishing is a harmful practice, that will eventually lead to the collapse of aquatic ecosystems, if it’s not dealt with promptly. Overfishing emerges from the combination of our over consumptive society mixed with the great profits that come from hauling in a good catch. The consumers demand for fish in Japan seems to be at an increasingly high rate due to the enjoyment and cultural values that arise from sushi and other traditional dishes involving seafood. Approximately 23 percent of Japan’s protein intake comes from the ocean, and as a nation consumes 7.5 million tonnes of seafood annually. CITATION

    Read More

  • Endangered Species

    2010 Words  | 5 Pages

    Humans are destructive. Not a lot of us think about how what we do affects the world around us. We almost act like we are the only ones on this planet. We go around polluting and destroying our world with no regard for our actions. The things that live out in the wild are paying the price for it. Every day that passes there is another animal or plant that is placed on an endangered list. This is happening at an alarming rate. Because of man’s desire to expand and conquer their surroundings, there are animals and plants that are on the brink of extinction that will not be around for our kids and future generations to enjoy if something is not done about it now. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years. There are animals and plants that can only been seen in paintings or early photography. It is because of our early ancestors that we have this problem today and we have to do more to prevent more animals and plants from disappearing forever.

    Read More

  • Ecologism

    1879 Words  | 4 Pages

    A human induced global ecological crisis is occurring, threatening the stability of this earth and its inhabitants. The best path to address environmental issues both effectively and morally is a dilemma that raises concerns over which political values are needed to stop the deterioration of the natural environment. Climate change; depletion of resources; overpopulation; rising sea levels; pollution; extinction of species is just to mention a few of the damages that are occurring. The variety of environmental issues and who and how they affect people and other species is varied, however the nature of environmental issues has the potential to cause great devastation. The ecological crisis we face has been caused through anthropocentric behavior that is advantageous to humans, but whether or not anthropocentric attitudes can solve environmental issues effectively is up for debate. Ecologism in theory claims that in order for the ecological crisis to be dealt with absolutely, value and equality has to be placed in the natural world as well as for humans. This is contrasting to many of the dominant principles people in the contemporary world hold, which are more suited to the standards of environmentalism and less radical approaches to conserving the earth. I will argue in this essay that whilst ecologism could most effectively tackle environmental problems, the moral code of ecologism has practical and ethical defects that threaten the values and progress of anthropocentricism and liberal democracy.

    Read More

More about I Don't Think but I Still Am

Open Document