Ecological Holism Thought And The Study Of Practical Value

The ecological holism thought was produced and developed gradually in western natural environmental protection movements because of serious ecological crisis. The thought is beyond anthropocentrism which regards human’s interests as the main target, and beyond humanism which safeguards the dignity and rights of human beings individual. The thought needs people to not only be in attention to human’s interests at, but also pay attention to the overall interests of the ecological system; the thought requires people to observe this world with an ecological holistic viewpoint in order to safeguard the long-term interests of mankind itself. In accord with other environmental protection thoughts, it is to realize the harmony between man and nature. The thought does not deny human’s control of natural, but put their material desires and the transformation degree of the nature as much as possible to limit the range,and the limit is that the ecosystem can withstand and recovery itself. Although the ecological holism is a kind of non-mainstream’s culture and idea, but it seeks a kind of new thinking way and world view, builds a kind of new ecological concept and ecological ethics, and would guide human beings to solve the ecological crisis better.At first, the ecological holism thought is mainly composed of Aldo Leopold’s earth community theory, Holmes Rolston’s value of nature theory, and Arne Ness’ s deep ecology. Through the classification and arrangement of these three theories, the author gets the three basic and representative viewpoints of ecological holism thought, that is, the human moral concern objects’ expanding, the value of nature and the moral principles of the relationship between man and nature.And then, the author points out its advantage and existed insufficiency. Its advantages are that this theory emphasizes more on the whole interest of the ecological system, that this theory acknowledges the intrinsic and systematic value of nature, and that this theory respects moral rights of nature; The existing problems are that if we overemphasize the whole interest of ecology system, it could have a tendency to environmental fascism and ecological supremacy. Therefore we should grasp and understand the ecological holism thought all around.Finally the paper analyses the practical significance of this thought to solve the ecological crisis and the construction of ecological civilization, and it is conducive to cultivate a kind world view on take the rights and interests of nature seriously, conducive to the promote the ecologicalization of human way of life, and more conducive to promote the greening production process of society.