World View that Destroys the Equilibrium of the Universe

The modern man’s never-ending thirst for the ambitious goal of development through the unbridled approach of the science and technology is the really the cause of the crisis. Today the connection between development and deterior- ation of environment has become increasingly clear. This material worldview of modern man is the result of historical changes, especially the commercial, political and cultural expansion of the west.[1] The constitutive and causative factor of the development- deterioration syndrome, is the materialistic worldview of the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution of 16-17 century, which started in England, which quickly spread to all parts of Europe and America during the 18th century, gave a new impetus for the sources in man’s technological powers over nature. As a result, the mountains could be moved, course of rivers could be changed, gulfs could be bridged etc.

In spite of this, the 19th century systems of thought set by Charles Darwin and Karl Marx gave the Western Europe a new different worldview. This gradually led to a tendency not to believe in the powers of God as preached by the religion. People began to recognize the supremacy of scientism. For them the idea of progress was purely scientific and technological. Thus the science-based technology became the hope of a new life for human kind.

It was this worldview which lies as the root of remorseless destruction of natural world today. Both the capitalism and socialism supported this worldview. The basic to the capitalistic as well as socialistic pattern of economy is a materialist and dichotomy worldview. They considered nature as merely an “object” to be tamed, subdued, conquered and exploited by man. In this worldview, nature is absolutely passive, from which one must resolutely grab, without waiting for its response.[2]

1. Globalization

The globalization, a recent development, on the planet is an irreversible fact. Globalization gives the sense that “all humankind no longer appears as a simple sum total of sovereign states, but as a single social body united by a common destiny.”[3] People, today, are on their way to the formation of a single world society.

Here the relevant question is, how does the process of globalization become a threat to the ecological balance or eco-system? The process of globalization is dominated by economic reality. Leonardo Boff says, “we are in the phase of competitive globalization, which has not yet brought in co-operative globalization because it operates under the rule of capitalist economics and is there fore full of contradictions and conflicts, brought about rivalry.”[4] The global corporations are wedded to a free market economy, which is profit oriented, exploitative and brutal. The global capitalism operating through the international financial institutions and transcendental corporations is the major agency that causes and increases the ecological crisis. The only objective of global powers is the maximum profit-making which is standing as a threat to the health and integrity of the earth’s eco-system. It is the time to think of a different economy or to think of a co-operative globalization and societies in which there is room for all, humans, animals and all living and non-living things. But, today the values that predominate in the society are personal and collective egoism, individual and company profit. We have the obligation to guarantee the future of the Earth system and the conditions in which the future generation and we can continue to live and to develop.

The modern man moves with the spirit of the competition and the triumph of the strongest. In this spirit there is no question of solidarity, participation and sharing. In his material worldview, only man has value. Here differs Francis’ worldview. His worldview did not have a limited sense. He never placed man as the center, in the sense to use and abuse the nature. On the contrary, unlike the modern man, his worldview was so wide that it could recognize the intrinsic value of all creatures.

[1] Cf., J.S.ANA, “The Present Socio-Economic System aas a Cause of Ecological Imbalance and Poverty” in Concilium, 1995/5, 3-10.
[2] Cf., N.SINGH, Economics and the Crisis of Ecology, Delhi, 1976, p.66.
[3] E.CHIVACCI, “A Carefully Hidden Reality”, Cross Currents 50, (Spring), pp.103-111.
[4] L. BOFF, “Life and Death on the Planet Earth”, In Concilium, 1995/5, pp. 1-10.