Environmental Ethics Based on Five Principles of Sadrian Philosophy
Subject Areas : Studies on Mulla Sadra and the Transcendent PhilosophyMehdi Bayatmokhtari 1 , Mostafa Momeni 2
1 - Associate Professor, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran
2 - Associate Professor, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
Keywords: Mullā Ṣadrā, Transcendent Philosophy, Nature, environment, principiality of existence, trans-substantial motion,
Abstract :
One of the most important challenges before contemporary Man is excessive use of natural resources. Technology is harshly destroying environmental elements, and industry has not only revealed Man’s lack of harmony with nature but also completely altered their metaphysical supremacy and is now threatening their health. The problem of environmental destruction and environmental ethics is a novel product of modern life; however, its principles can be inferred from some of the works of Islamic philosophers, particularly, Mullā Ṣadrā. Five principles in the Transcendent Philosophy could be considered efficient in this regard. According to the principiality of existence, the substance of the human soul and the substance of nature are two modes of the same single truth, and the pain of nature is followed by Man’s suffering. Based on the principle of the awareness and glorification of nature, nature is as respectable as a devout person. Moreover, as the principle of Man’s vicegerency suggests, since God is free from any kind of evil, His vicegerent should also perceive the relationship between nature and its true Owner, function as a good representative of His Beauty and Perfection, and glorify and preserve this manifestation of God to the best of their abilities. According to the principle of continuous creation, nature depends on God at every single moment and is illuminated by His Light, thus it does not deserve to be destroyed and abandoned. Finally, based on the fifth principle, Man acts based on their nature; blessed people lead nature towards heavenly forms, and malicious people lead it towards hellish forms. The first group are concerned about preserving nature, while the second group try to destroy it. In Islamic philosophy and, thus, the views of Islamic philosophers there is a right-duty relationship between Man and nature, according to which Man has the right to use nature conditionally and, at same time, has the duty of protecting and improving it.