율곡학을 통해 본 인간과 자연의 소통과 공생의 해법

Abstract

In this paper the author makes some remarks on characteristics and problems of ecological arguments in Western philosophy, as well as the current ecological discussions related to the Korean Neo-Confucianism and Yulgok’s philosophy. Based on those remarks, the author carries out some research on characteristics and significances of organicistic and ecological arguments in Yulgok’s philosophy. The anthropocentric environmental ethics and the individual-centered environmental ethics themselves have many shortcomings, but the ecocentrism which was formulated to resolve those shortcomings also contains in itself many problems. This situation arose from the Western tradition of dualism and dichotomous thinking. In Western traditional way of thinking, human and nature, nature and culture, animals and plants, as well as rationality and sentiment/passion, rationality and spirituality, man and woman etc, all are divided into two sides, and the relation between those two are always seen as unequal and opposite. And if one side in those two gains favor, the other will become subordinate. For instance, the anthropocentrism which has only admitted the internal values of human caused many problems concerning natural destructions for the benefit of human; on the other hand, the view of the deep ecology according to which the internal values belong only to the natural ecosystem denied the dignity and values of human; the social ecology, while showing a deep appreciation for the human rationality, ignored the others and caused many problems concerning the so-called order and uniformity (in society as well as nature); the eco-feminism dualized masculinity and femininity and by considering the femininity superior caused the discrimination and conflict between masculine and feminine genders. Yulgok does not regard the nature as an automatic machine without vitality. In his viewpoint, the nature, as an organic body which has self-organizing characteristics – that he calls ‘practical principles’ or ‘way of Heaven’ -, contains original values and dignity of life. This nature is not an instrument or tool served for the benefit of human, as in the viewpoint of the anthropocentrism. Human combines with the nature to form a whole in which it plays the role of a ‘conscious pillar’. It is possible since the ‘practical principles’ - means the self-organizing characteristics of the nature - is inherent within human under the form of ‘practical mind’. ‘Practical principle’ and ‘practical mind’ are both ‘sincerity’, when the ‘practical mind’ manifests itself as ‘sincerity’, the ‘practical principle’ will combine with this ‘sincerity’ into one. That can be considered putting the origin of living substance of human into the living substance of nature, and proving that human and nature can live together as a whole. Human with the inherent ‘sincerity’ or ‘practical mind’ is regarded as the center/heart of the entire world which is given the mission and ability to take care and raise the nature. Human takes an active and dynamic part in the development of the nature, and only when it combines with the entire nature can it experience the true happiness. In Yulgok’s viewpoint, different from the anthropocentrism, human is not the conqueror or the ruler of the nature. And it is not, either, an insignificant part among all others in the nature which is given unremarkable values as every other thing in the nature, as in the viewpoint of the ecocentrism. Human is the most excellent being in this world, hence it is considered the heart/center of the world; but it is given the tremendous mission and responsibility to take care, heal and raise the nature with love. With that way of thinking, the shortcomings of the anthropocentrism according to which the nature is only a tool for the benefit of the human, and also the problems of the ecocentrism according to which human’s values is ignored, all of them can be resolved. From that point, the chance for human and nature to understand each other and live together will be created, and the opportunity for the mutual understanding between humans will also be opened up.