The Nature Dimension Of Culture

Nature and culture are definitely the two opposite sides; however, they are also considered as unity in some degree. As the environmental issues are becoming a seriously global problem, it is necessary and important to use a new point "Nature first, Culture second" to replace the contradict view "Culture first, Nature second", the turn of the viewpoint can relieve the critical relationship between human beings and natural scenery, as well as improve the speed of ecological steering. All above are the spirits of environmental ethics. Holmes Rolston, an American philosopher, pointed out the best way to realize the view of "Nature first, Culture second" is to set and practise the idea, which require people to respect nature as the supreme thing in their lives. But respect nature is absolutely not at the sacrifice of human interests, just as the contents told in this thesis. The beautiful scenery of Rocky Mountains in westerner America is a good example to identify the truth of the view "Nature first, Culture second" in epistemology and methodology, especially when compared with the easterner cities in The United States, the Rocky Mountain is more likely to be a long forgotten place, which has been telling us: Comparing to nature, culture is temporarily existence, so to place culture above the nature is similar to drink poison to ease thirst, which is not good for both nature and culture development. On the contrary, if we place the nature above the culture, we can make them two to their best, for nature has the qualities of "first, unity, inner value and objectivity", nature is the basement of human life and culture; nature is the final destination for the whole world, no matter life or Non-life. Today, the author studies the environmental ethics of Holmes Rolston, which is meaningful to the development of "Scientific Concept of Development", the construction of "Friendly environmental society", and the rebuilding of "Ecological civilization", both in theory and practice.