Paradigms of Man-Nature Association: An Ecological Perspective

Abstract

13.7 billion years ago, an extremely enigmatic phenomenon happened, which is known as The Big Bang. On a 4.5 billion years old planet, man is one of the recent additions to its vast biodiversity: nature‟s own and the only creation, which has become the biggest threat to her today. The paper traces the journey of human progression, attempting to highlight the underpinning philosophies that governed this man-nature association during its various stages. It talks about how during each phase, these systems of ideas have influenced human actions, which in turn have resulted in visible and categorical impacts on ecological processes and on the other hand, the ever-expanding development, in the form of a built environment comprising cities, industries and other settlements of sorts. These knowledge systems have indeed been the foundation of the type of life that each of these eras witnessed. The paper highlights the key questions that stood tall in front of these societies and how their choice of solution shaped their fate. Just like those times, there are a set of very serious and critical questions that we too are faced today with, the questions of human existence, and the questions of human sustenance to which answers shall have to be provided by the contemporary human community. The choice of these answers shall only determine the possibility and quality of the future of human civilisation. The paper discusses the way in which specific philosophical systems in different eras and places, became drivers of specific types of development, from the epistemological lens of ecology and sustainability.