Approaches to Nature Aesthetics: East Meets West Page: 14
View a full description of this thesis.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
values and values inlaid biologically in life itself."22 These biologically inherent values
are closely associated with natural historical value. Genetic diversity is a product of
evolutionary history over a long period of time assuming that the theory of evolution is
the correct interpretation of natural history. It is possible to find economic value in it;
however, it is still valuable as it is independent of any economic value ascribed to it.
As explained previously, the diversity and the unity of nature were not always
fully appreciated in Western culture. Due to the shift in our world views as a result of
scientific developments in the seventeenth century, people confronted the diversity and
the interrelatedness of nature, and obtained new knowledge of the world. If they only
noticed the diversity, they might have falsely conceived of nature as chaotic. Nature's
plurality-in-unity helped us see the intelligibility of nature. However, this feature is not
simply a contribution to our understanding of nature. Rolston states:
The mind is a mirror of these properties [diversity and unity] in nature, and there
is even a sense in which the mind, founded on the cerebral complexity and
integrating capacity, is a product of nature's tendency both to diversify and unify.
When this mind reflects, in turn, on the natural world, it can assign value at once
to diverse particulars and to the universal and global regularities that underlie and
permeate these particulars.23
By confronting both diversity and unity in nature, people have developed a new
understanding of the world. Its contribution to both metaphysics and epistemology is
undeniable. However, these qualities are inherent in nature. They can be appreciated not
only for its contribution to expanding our knowledge about nature but also for their own
sakes as interesting features of nature.
22 Rolston, Environmental Ethics, p. 13.
23 Ibid., p. 19.14
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This thesis can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Thesis.
Toyoda, Mitsuyo. Approaches to Nature Aesthetics: East Meets West, thesis, December 2002; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3305/m1/18/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .