Ecosophy: Ecological Philosophy in the Classroom
BY EDUCACIONLAB
Ecosophy: Ecological Philosophy in the Classroom
«If I had not spent long hours lying in the grass, watching or listening to those brothers of mine, perhaps I would not have understood so well how much life this great earth holds in its breast, all the infinitely small things, and carries us with them through unfathomable space».
Eliseo Reclés. La Montaña, Page 11.
Ecosophy is a term coined by philosopher Arne Naess in 1972, who also introduced the concept of “Deep Ecology.” Ecosophy comes from Οίκος in Greek meaning home or house, and Σοφία Sophia, meaning knowledge or wisdom. From the sciences of Ecology we move to wisdom about our own existence. Naess taught about this new philosophical science influenced by author Rachel Carson and her revolutionary book Silent Spring, which as early as 1962 pointed to living in harmony with nature, not in its domination.
For Ecosophy, our home, our Oikos, “Home” extends far beyond our locality, region, or nation; the entire earth is the Oikos, it is planet earth: “House Earth” or also known as “Spaceship Earth.” Eliseo Reclés in his work La Montaña wrote about “Ecosophy.”
What I seek through teaching architecture and sustainable cities in schools throughout each region is the awakening of Ecosophic consciousness.
If I teach about sustainable mobility, I will not stop at the action or request to ban car traffic from cities. We will address with children and youth the why of the car, the why of the rush, the why of lack of time. First we must teach them to THINK and then to ACT.
Philosopher Felix Guattari also spoke to us about Ecosophy. His concept of “molecular revolution” is extremely interesting—in small groups of citizens interested in reflecting on this topic. These are what he calls Micro revolutions or molecular revolution.
Article by Dolores Victoria Ruiz