Ecological paradigm and the present society

Modern environmental crises are largely due to the prevailing values and relations in society. Excessive faith in scientific and technological progress and the need for economic growth exacerbate the environmental situation, reducing the desire of ordinary citizens to act in the practical solution of real environmental problems.

The ecological values and relations dominating in modern society can be defined by the term «anthropocentric worldview», or «anthropocentric paradigm». The world view is at the basis of perception, understanding and interpretation of the surrounding world, representing that mental image of the surrounding reality, which projects and forms the desired (or expected) state of the natural environment. From the psychological point of view, the world view (paradigm) is a goal-image, directing concrete practical actions and activity of the person in the environment. Consequently, if humanity hopes to avoid the sad fate of dying as a result of the global environmental crisis, then it should replace the anthropocentrism paradigm that prevails in society and is more acceptable in modern conditions, the paradigm of eco-centrism.

At the same time, despite the domination of the philosophy of anthropocentrism in the public consciousness, new environmental ideas are still making their way, challenging the established anti-ecological views and relationships. Such concepts and terms as «limits of growth», «balance of nature», «natural balance», «ecological responsibility», «responsible attitude to nature», «ecological ethics», etc., firmly entered the lexicon of modern man, marking a turn In the public consciousness from the philosophy of anthropocentrism to the philosophy of eco-centrism. Understanding that nature is the common home of all living beings, and not just the source of satisfying all the material needs of man, is the central link in the new ecological thinking, or the new ecological paradigm (eco-centrism). In the scientific and popular science literature to open the essence of this paradigm is often used the image of «Earth - a spaceship with limited space and natural resources.» This understanding of the Earth is fundamentally different from the thesis «Man is the lord of nature», which is the basis of anthropocentrism.

The ecological paradigm is a system of basic (basic) values and ideas that determine the individual's personal relationship to nature. The new ecological paradigm considers humanity as an integral part of nature, subject to its general laws, experiencing the negative consequences of the violation of the laws of its development. People who support the new ecological paradigm are convinced that there are certain limits to economic and demographic growth, that natural resources should be used rationally, that nature should be treated with care and responsibility, that technology can not only improve people's quality of life, but also bring them unforeseen problems.

The main ideas constructing the core of the new ecological paradigm are:

• -    the population of the Earth is approaching the limit that our planet is unlikely to support;

• -    the balance of nature is very fragile and can be easily disturbed by human economic activity;

The intrusion of man into nature often leads to destructive and unpredictable consequences;

• -    to save life on the planet Earth, mankind will have to develop a sustainable economy in which economic growth correlates with the possibilities of the environment;

• -    in order to survive, humanity must live in a relative harmony with nature;

• -    The Earth is like a spaceship, where space and resources are very limited;

• -    there are some limits of growth for which modern humanity should not step over.

In recent years, the eco-centric paradigm has gained considerable popularity among scientists, university and school teachers, representatives of the creative intelligentsia. However, in the mass public consciousness, it has received a very small spread.

The most important factors determining a person's readiness to adopt a new ecological paradigm are: 1) age; 2) the level of education; 3) ideology; 4) «internal» philosophy of personality. The influence of such factors as sex and place of residence does not have a significant impact on the adoption of a particular philosophy. It is proved that young people are more willing to adopt a new ecological paradigm than older people. This is explained by the fact that young people generally have high social mobility, an inexhaustible interest in life, a desire for new trends and trends.

The level of personality formation has a very significant influence on the adoption of an eco-centric paradigm. The higher the level of education and, as a rule, the level of intellectual development, the more adequately a person can understand the complexity of abstract concepts forming the core of a new ecological paradigm.

Individuals with liberal views more favorably perceive the philosophy of eco-centrism than conservative citizens. Liberals, as a rule, do not aspire at all costs to keep the usual order of things, changing their views in accordance with their level of understanding and perception of the real world.

A simple increase in the amount of acquired knowledge is not enough for positive changes in the development of ecological values and behavior of students. The mechanical increase in the proportion of knowledge on the protection of nature observed in school textbooks does not lead to the improvement of environmental values and behavior in nature. It is not the volume of knowledge that is important in itself, but the representation of knowledge in some qualitatively new light (aspect) that allows one to perceive, compare, analyze, criticize, evaluate and generalize various variants (models) of human ecological activity in nature. At the same time, it is extremely important to focus students' attention on contrasting types of people's attitudes to environmental problems.

The leading factors in the successful formation of the individual's environmental values and attitudes are: 1) the level of knowledge (intellect); 2) the degree of emotional involvement in environmental activities; 3) direct experience of interaction with nature. It is these three factors that determine, first and foremost, the predisposition of the individual to adopt an eco-centric paradigm.

Ecocentrism is a useful theory that can become a methodological basis in the study of environmental views, values and attitudes of modern society, to be an initial prerequisite for constructing rational models of behavior and the activity of the individual in the surrounding natural environment.

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