The Intellectual Origins of the Ecological Crisis: Modern Human in Ecological Alienation

Öz

The global ecological crisis is a multi-dimensional and multi-complex set of problems intertwined like a cobweb. Aside from the conjunctural and structural reasons, this study focuses on mentality as the source of the global ecological crisis. The article addresses this mentality issue through the prototype conceptualized as the “modern human in ecological alienation” and briefly defines this subject as a human prototype that has not established an ontological connection with ecology and is distant or disconnected from it. The article analyses the mental structure of this prototypical subject through four main propositions constructed within the parameters of environment, epistemology, eco-psychology, and perception of nature. Accordingly, first, the modern human in ecological alienation, with self-centred and possessive perception of the environment, believes that they live alone in a universe that they assume belongs only to themselves. Second, armed with a rigid positivist and rationalist epistemology disconnected from emotion and value, the modern human in ecological alienation reduces ecology to a mechanical phenomenon that can be analyzed through reason and observation. Third, under the influence of the capitalist modern system, the subject, acting with a consumerist and hedonistic psychology, views ecology as a commodity to be owned and consumed. Finally, this person, who considers themselves superior to nature, perceives nature as an object to be dominated. In this framework, the study suggests that modern human in ecological alienation needs to change and transform their mentality. To achieve this, the ecological consciousness and ecological psychology of ancient civilizations should be revived.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ecological Crisis
• Ecological Alienation
• Environment
• Epistemology
• Eco-psychology
• Nature

Ekolojik Krizin Düşünsel Kökeni: Ekolojik Yabancılaşma İçindeki Modern İnsan

Öz

Küresel ekolojik kriz, bir örümcek ağı gibi iç içe geçmiş, çok boyutlu ve çok karmaşık bir sorunlar yumağıdır. Bu çalışma, konjonktürel ve yapısal nedenlerinin ötesinde küresel ekolojik krizin zihniyet boyutunu konu edinmektedir. Söz konusu zihniyet problemini “ekolojik yabancılaşma içindeki modern insan” olarak kavramsallaştırdığı prototip üzerinden ele almakta ve bu özneyi ekolojiyle ontolojik bir bağ kuramamış, ekolojiden uzak veya kopuk bir insan prototipi olarak tanımlamaktadır. Bahsi geçen prototipik öznenin zihniyet yapısını mekân, epistemoloji, eko-psikoloji ve doğa parametreleri çerçevesinde inşa ettiği dört ana önerme üzerinden analiz etmektedir. Buna göre öncelikle ben-merkezci ve mülkiyetçi bir mekân algısına sahip ekolojik yabancılaşma içindeki modern insan yalnızca kendisine ait olduğunu varsaydığı bir evrende tek başına yaşadığını zannetmektedir. İkinci olarak duygu ve değerden kopuk katı bir pozitivist ve rasyonalist epistemolojiyle donanmış ekolojik yabancılaşma içindeki modern insan ekolojiyi akıl ve gözlem yoluyla çözümleyebileceği mekanik bir olguya indirgemektedir. Üçüncüsü kapitalist modern sistemin etkisi altında tüketimci ve hazcı bir psikolojiyle hareket eden söz konusu özne ekolojiyi de sahip olunması ve tüketilmesi gereken bir meta olarak görmektedir. Son olarak kendini doğadan üstün gören bu insan doğayı hükmedilmesi gereken bir nesne olarak algılamaktadır. Bu çerçevede çalışma ekolojik yabancılaşma içindeki modern insanın zihniyetini değiştirip dönüştürmek zorunda olduğunu ve bunun için kadim medeniyetlerdeki ekolojik bilinç ve ekolojik psikolojinin yeniden canlandırılması gerektiğini önermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• ekolojik kriz
• ekolojik yabancılaşma
• mekan
• epistemoloji
• psikoloji
• doğa

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