Heidegger's Discussion of "The Thing": A Theme for Deep Ecology

Abstract

history of environmental philosophy testifies to two strands of tbought tbat stand in stark contrast to one anotber: antbropocentrism and biocentrism. In reaction to tbe traditional antbropocentric position, deep ecology has argued for a biocentric view of tbe humanity-nature relation. Against antbropocentrism, the deep ecologists have challenged the basic assumptions of tbe Western scientific-technological paradigm by proposing alternative paradigms that support biocentrism. One of the central issues confronting tbe development of an environmental etbic is the manner in which paradigms prefigure attitudes about nature. approach of some deep ecologists is straightforwardly ontological as evidenced by the attempt to challenge scientific materialism as a paradigm about the nature of being. In this paper I want to explore some of the ideas in the later writings of Heidegger in order to show how they may be placed in tbe context of deep ecology. His ontology, I believe, sponsors a biocentric view that regards all natural entities as possessing inherent value by virtue of their interrelation to tbe surrounding world. In particular, I will discuss Heidegger's position in his essay The Thing.1 distinction he draws between