Knowledge, Environment, and Ethics.—From CACOR Archives.

1996  Series 1  Number 17  Page 19

 

Distinguished professor Dr. Jersey Wojciechowski provided his view of the future in this wide-ranging essay.  He covered the essence of our environment and the concept of nature, evolution, knowledge, systems, and our possible worldviews.

This interesting article contained the following table (amended to reflect an error in the righthand column that was corrected in the next issue of the Proceedings–humans are not masters of the world).

Nature is:	Infinite (i.e., inexhaustible)	Finite (i.e., exhaustible)
Hence:	No exploitation of nature.	Exploitation of nature.
	No negative effects for a) nature b) humans.	Negative effects for a) nature b) humans.
	No responsibility for exploitation of nature.	Responsibility for exploitation of nature.
	No responsibility for the development of powerful knowledge.	Responsibility for the development of powerful knowledge.
	Does not threaten nature.	Threaten nature.
	No humans/nature moral problem–no need to enlarge the moral problematique.	Moral problem–humans/nature–need to enlarge the moral problematique.
	Scientific (quantitative) knowledge sufficient–no need to complement it by enlarged knowledge of qualities and values–humans may imagine themselves as masters of the world.	Scientific (quantitative) knowledge insufficient–need to complement it by enlarged knowledge of qualities and values–humans are not masters of the world.
	No source of concern about its effect on nature.	Concern about its effect on nature.
	Ethics is necessary.	Ethics is primary.

Link to | Knowledge, Environment, and Ethics.

 

Dr. Wojciechowski died in 2014.

Link to | Jersey Wojciechowski’s Obituary.