Natural Values Research Articles

Adapting Islamic Education in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah: Ideal Conditions in the New Normal Era

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted Indonesian education, prompting adaptations in teaching methods. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah institutions, in particular, shifted to online learning, facing challenges like a decline in student morals and character. This study evaluates the ideal conditions for education at the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah level in the new normal era, focusing on idealistic educational philosophy. A literature study approach was employed, analyzing data from books, academic journals, and relevant literature on idealistic educational philosophy. The aim was to explore how this philosophy can address pandemic-induced challenges and support education development in the new normal. Findings indicate that idealistic educational philosophy can effectively address post-pandemic educational challenges. This philosophy emphasizes guiding students to develop their thoughts and personalities in harmony with their intrinsic nature and societal values. Education should nurture each student's personality according to their talents, interests, and age-appropriate skills. Effective and efficient teaching methods are crucial for achieving these goals, focusing on holistic student development. The study highlights the importance of aligning educational philosophy with students' natural development. In Madrasah Ibtidaiyah, the idealistic approach enhances the moral and character development of students, adversely affected during the pandemic. By fostering individualized learning and personal growth, educational institutions can better navigate new normal challenges. Implementing idealistic educational philosophy in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah institutions can play a pivotal role in overcoming educational challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring well-rounded education that prepares students for their societal roles.

Methane plume detection after the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosion in the Baltic Sea

On September 26th, 2022, the detonations at the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 resulted in some of the largest non-natural releases of methane known. The distribution of methane in the surrounding seawater and the possible effects were not apparent. To trace the pathways of methane we recorded CH4 concentrations and the isotopic signal (δ13C-CH4) in seawater, and air. A week post-explosion, we detected methane concentrations up to 4 orders of magnitude above the natural Baltic Sea background. The released fossil methane created a distinct plume with δ13C-CH4 ratios differing from natural background values. The strong water stratification preserved the distribution pattern initiated by the explosion, shown by the laterally strong concentration gradient within the plume. Our analysis encompasses three stages of the explosion's impact; the initial sea-air methane release, measurements taken during our research expedition one week later, and a third stage triggered by the shift from summer to winter conditions as an outlook on how winter mixing and microbial activity will influence the plume.

Environmental, social, and economic challenges to forest-based micro-entrepreneurship: a comparative case study in Finland

Countries worldwide, especially Nordic countries, have proposed a forest-based bioeconomy to halt systemic risks, such as climate change, and to create socioeconomic welfare. Entrepreneurs operating in various business sectors and regions face several complex challenges in this regard. However, the challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs have not been addressed across various regions using systems thinking. This comparative case study aimed to identify the environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs and the spatial features of these challenges—their scale, interactions, and prevalence—in two different regions in Finland: Lapland and South Karelia. These regions’ economies rely heavily on the recreational value of nature and on the large-scale pulp and paper industries, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with micro-entrepreneurs from various sectors, such as forestry, logging, tourism, and natural products. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The framework used enabled a deeper spatial understanding of the challenges experienced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs. The micro-entrepreneurs in the two case regions had great similarities in terms of themes related to trust, workload, and labor shortage. This may hinder the implementation of new practices in regional forest-based bioeconomy development. Future quantitative studies could validate the identified challenges for further policy development.

Representation of the views of nature and human-nature relationships in chemistry textbooks: a comparative analysis

ABSTRACT Science textbooks play a crucial role in shaping students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards nature, impacting the effectiveness of environmental education. This study provides a comparative analysis concerning the views of nature and the human-nature relationships represented in Chinese and U.S. chemistry textbooks (grades 10–12), aiming to inform environmental education in the field of science education. Content analysis was applied to examine and compare the representation patterns of the views of nature with four sub-dimensions (i.e. metaphors of nature, environmental emotions, types of nature, values of nature) and of the human-nature relationships. A five-volume Chinese textbook and one U.S. textbook were targeted. Proportionality calculation, Chi-squared tests along with Cramer’s V were conducted to identify similarities and differences in their representation patterns. Comparative analysis results demonstrated more commonalities than divergences in the representation patterns of Chinese and U.S. chemistry textbooks. Specifically, there were no statistically significant differences in the representation patterns of metaphors of nature, environmental emotions, types of nature, and humans-nature relationships. However, a significant difference was found in the representation patterns of values of nature. The major findings of this study are discussed and several implications for future research and practice are provided.

Care Literacy for Culture, Nature, and Future

Within the broader sustainability agenda, an important element relates to the need for a transformative approach to nature. This motivates and is reflected in the Natures Futures Framework. Within this framework, this letter focuses on the relational value of Nature as Culture/One with Nature. This is important yet complex as part of the re-orienting of values to enable truly significant change, and which necessitates individual and community involvement on the value of caring for nature. As a means for understanding and enabling individuals’ potential to engage and contribute, the notion of ‘care for nature literacy’ is put forward.

Zur Ambivalenz von ‚Werten‘ in Diskussionen zur Klima- und Umweltethik

Abstract In environmental ethics, many approaches are searching for a justification of the protection of nature and biodiversity via an account of the intrinsic or inherent value of non-human nature, i. e. a justification that does not rely on the perspective of human beings. This leads to intricate problems regarding value theory. This paper proposes to avoid those problems by investigating explicitly anthropocentric pathways. It discusses what kinds of reasons for the protection of nature can be developed from the consistent practical self-understanding of agents. First, it is argued that the practical commitments of agents necessarily involve some normative commitments to the protection of the generic conditions of agency, which are particularly relevant for the ecological conditions that enable us to act and to realise goals. Second, it is discussed whether the presence of non-human nature is particularly relevant from the perspective of philosophical anthropology. Is it not important for human beings to experience non-human nature as an environment that is not fully planned and designed by human beings? The general aim is to show that it is worthwhile to search for justifications of the protection of nature and biodiversity from the practical self-understanding of human beings.

Effect of Temperature on Damage Identification of Laminated Composite by Means Numerical Methods

This study aims to examine the effect of temperature on damage detection in laminated composite materials. In this context, a carbon-reinforced composite plate with [0/90]s stacking sequence is modeled as intact and delaminated by the finite element method. The dimensions, thicknesses, materials used, and stacking sequences of the plates modeled as intact and delaminated are the same. The delamination in the delaminated plate is modeled as the gap in the middle of the plate. These modeled plates were analyzed at different temperature values between -50oC / +50oC. The natural frequencies, mode shapes, and modal curvatures of the plate were obtained by modal analysis. The variation of these data obtained with temperature was examined and the effect of temperature on these data was compared. According to the analysis results, it was observed that the effect of temperature on natural frequency values and modal curvature values was similar to the effect of delamination. The decrease in natural frequencies and the changes in modal curvatures due to delamination occurred with the increase in temperature even in the absence of delamination.

Catherine the Great’s Pastoral Comic Opera “Fedul and His Children” as a Cultural Pattern

Despite her status, Catherine II was a typical writer of the Enlightenment. She wrote her plays in order to “govern morals”, and her goal was to create a new cultural pattern for the nobility. The difference between her and ordinary writers was not the quality of her plays, but the power she possessed to reaffirm her classicist ideals using off-stage effects. Her opera Fedul and his Children, for example, was written to address the pressing contemporary problems arising from unequal relationships between noblemen and non-noble women. The other characters were also based on real people, drawn from the Imperial court and from the theatrical world. Fedul and his Children is a typical comic opera in which Catherine uses the rules of the genre to persuade the audience of the correctness of her views. The moral victory of the third estate is confirmed in the play by the fact that, according to the text, precisely its members are the carriers of primordial natural values, which is why interactions with the corrupt world of the nobility pose such a danger to them. Her ability to make use of the specificities of the genre sheds light on Catherine as someone who was familiar with and sensitive to the style of the period. Fedul and his Children has all the characteristic features of a comic opera, including allusive character names, peasant songs, the use of proverbs and the fear inspired by the hostile city in peasants fresh from their pastoral idyll.

Design of positive pulse measurement while drilling system for mine rotary valve mud

Abstract For the drilling of directional wells and horizontal wells, to ensure that the drilling trajectory is drilled in the coal seam in the direction designed before drilling, it is necessary to transmit information without interrupting the drilling process. The drilling fluid pressure pulse is divided into positive pulse, negative pulse, and continuous wave. The positive pulse transmission system with the mechanical structure of the lifting valve is widely used because of its high pulse signal strength and long propagation distance, which can be used in deep wells. With the increase of the information measured in the formation, the lifting valve can not meet the needs of the current information transmission due to the linear motion of the mechanical structure and the low transmission rate. The rotary valve as the pressure signal generation source can improve the pulse generation rate. Therefore, this paper analyzes the working principle and signal generation principle of the rotary valve positive pulse system, and collects the directional data and natural gamma value of the field test.

Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions

Estuaries worldwide are of substantial ecological value due to the presence of various gradients, such as salinity. Preserving the natural value of estuaries is vital for meeting the climate stabilization goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognizing nature as a stakeholder is imperative, given the surpassing value of ecosystem services over global gross domestic product. Quantifying the current ecological state and future ecological shifts faces challenges, including variable dependencies, spatial-temporal disparities, and the limitations in available information. This study introduces EMMA (Ecotope-Map Maker for Abiotics), a method for quantifying the effects of human interventions or climate change scenarios on estuarine ecosystems by linking abiotic characteristics derived from a hydrodynamic model to ecotopes. The Western Scheldt, an estuary connecting the Scheldt river to the North Sea in the Netherlands, serves as a case study. The method successfully reproduced an existing ecotope-map, which is dependent on real-time data such as aerial photographs. The developed method not only proves applicable in assessing the current ecological state and future ecological shifts for hypothetical scenarios but also demonstrates utility in predicting future situations, providing valuable insights for decision-makers in estuarine ecosystem management and contributing to climate and environmental preservation goals.

Geochemical Signature and Risk Assessment of Potential Toxic Elements in Intensively Cultivated Soils of South-West Punjab, India

Soil contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the Malwa region belt of Punjab, India, can be a serious concern as a result of intensive agricultural practices and overuse of agrochemicals. The main objectives of the present study were to evaluate the spatial distribution, geochemical signature, and contamination level/health risk of PTEs in 76 soil samples (0–10 cm) collected from the three districts viz. Muktar, Faridkot, and Moga of Punjab, India. The result shows that PTEs concentrations vary widely in the region, with Fe and Mn distribution patterns being mostly coherent with each other. When compared to the Indian natural soil background values, the average concentration of Pb and Zn were higher than the limit, only Pb exceeded the average values of the world background and upper continental crust (UCC). Spatial autocorrelation plotted with a local indicator of spatial association (LISA) in GeoDa software version 1.18 was used to identify hotspots. A positive spatial autocorrelation (>0.2) was indicated with Moran’s I values for Pb, V, Mn, Cu, and Cr, being highest for Pb. A principal component analysis (PCA) identified the major geo-chemical patterns of Fe-Al-V-Cr and TOC-Mn-Zn-HCO3−, which were positively loaded on PC1. This indicates that Fe/Al-oxyhydroxides and organic matter play a dominant role in controlling metal mobility in soils. This can be further substantiated with the Spearman’s rank correlation values. The contamination factor (CF) indicates that only Pb and Zn (15.7% and 3.9% samples, respectively) were under high risk. This could be due to the excessive application of chemical fertilizers. The large range of degree of contamination (Cdeg) values suggests that there are variations in the degree of soil pollution due to PTEs. A little over 3.9% of samples had significant contamination, compared to 72.3% of samples with low contamination and 23.6% of samples with moderate contamination. Human non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk levels were investigated. The hazard index (HI) values for adult ranged from 0.00 to 0.2, and values for children ranged from 0.009 to 1.2. These findings suggest that both children and adults are not at potential risk, except in a few locations. Overall, the results of this study provide the current baseline status of toxic elements in agricultural soil. This would be helpful for developing strategies for sustainable management of the soil resources in the region, as well as for future monitoring programs of the soil quality in the Malwa region as a whole, to track any changes in the contamination levels over time.

지속가능한 자연생태계 보존을 위한 자연의 권리 연구

The Civil Law limits the qualifications to have legal personality to ‘persons (natural persons or corporations).’ However, since the 1970s, the opinion that there is a need to extend the legal qualifications for rights subjects, which are limited to humans, to include nature or natural components has emerged as a major concern in law. This is a discussion about the so-called rights of nature. A representative recent example is the Republic of Ecuador. In September 2008, Ecuador revised its constitution and established a new regulation recognizing the rights of nature, thereby providing a constitutional basis for nature to protect its own right to survival. Meanwhile, Republic of Bolivia became the first country to recognize the rights of nature in law by enacting a law declaratively defining universal rights to the rights of nature in December 2010. And Republic of Colombia does not have provisions on natural rights in its constitution. However, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court recognize the existence of natural rights by actively interpreting environmental rights and the relationship between nature and humans from the perspective of ecocentrism. Article 35 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea also provides for environmental rights. However, this is not intended to recognize nature as a subject of rights, or to protect the intrinsic value of nature itself or the ecosystem. Nature and its components are recognized only as tools for human benefit. However, with this human-centered view of nature, it is impossible to fundamentally resolve today's natural destruction and the resulting climate crisis. Therefore, in order to ensure a sustainable natural ecosystem for future generations, theoretical attempts are underway to grant a certain legal status to non-human nature or natural objects. In this paper, I reviewed the concept of the rights of natural objects other than humans or nature itself among the subjects of nature, as well as domestic discussions and major overseas cases regarding natural rights. And a plan for domestic acceptance of natural rights was sought.

Recycling Possibilities of Wood-Cement Particle Board Manufacturing Waste

Wood-cement particle boards are gaining popularity within construction materials as they combine natural fiber architectural value with Portland cement durability. The production of the material is associated with processing the produced fiberboards, which includes cutting, grinding, and polishing. The remaining wood-cement dust residues are classified as production waste, which is now deposited in the dump and gives extra expenditure for the enterprise. The utilization of wood-cement dust would also benefit the circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of the production process. Two scenarios are analyzed in this research, and the life cycle assessment (LCA) tool with SimaPro software is compared. The first scenario is associated with the partial replacement of Portland cement with wood-cement dust powder. The second scenario offers re-activation of the wood-cement dust at 450 °C to obtain binder properties. Both materials' mechanical strength is comparable, reaching 10 MPa after 28d curing. To maintain target strength, 70 % of Portland cement can be replaced. To produce 1 t of binder by heating at 450 °C, 1.2 t of wood-cement dust is needed as natural moisture evaporates, and wood dust particles go through pyrolysis, giving extra heat and CO2 emissions as well. LCA results indicate the 70% replacement of Portland cement reduces CO2 emissions from 597 kg of CO2/ton of CEM II/A-LL 42,5 to 179 kg of CO2/ton, while the second scenario is associated with high energy consumption during burning of the binder and increased CO2 value due to fossil fuel consumption and CO2 release from burning organic compounds in the material.

Re-enchanting the World: Pope Francis’s Critique of the “Technocratic Paradigm” in Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum

The first part of this article offers a systemic comparison of Pope Francis’s “integral ecology” with the “technocratic paradigm.” The second part is devoted to an internal critique of the paradigm: (i) the primacy accorded instrumental causality in a “disenchanted world,” (ii) the technical reduction of prudence, and (iii) the consequent fragmentation of ethical systems. The critique supports key aspects of Francis’s ecological ethics: the option for the poor, intergenerational responsibility, and recognition of the intrinsic value of nonhuman nature. The third part shows how such an internal critique underwrites the uses of religious rhetoric in public reasoning: the re-enchantment of the world.

Community stewardship to protect coastal and freshwater ecosystems–pathways between recreation and stewardship intentions

Abstract Strengthening community engagement in stewardship can help to improve management of coastal and freshwater environments (blue spaces). Research suggests that recreational users of natural areas may be more willing to engage in stewardship. However, little research at a population scale has examine how recreation experiences shape psychological ingredients for stewardship. We surveyed 3271 residents of South East Queensland, Australia and quantified willingness to engage in blue space stewardship. We then quantified frequency of different types of blue space recreation, perceptions about threats to blue spaces (threat appraisal) and protective actions (coping appraisal), and satisfaction with blue spaces. We then examined pathways from recreation to stewardship intentions using mediation analysis. Results show that many types of recreation were associated with stewardship intentions. Specifically, higher frequency of social activities and nature‐appreciation activities were associated with greater intentions for individual stewardship (e.g. picking up litter, reducing use of household chemicals). Higher frequency of social activities, nature appreciation, exercise and fishing/boating was associated with stronger intentions for collective stewardship (e.g. attending a public meeting or riparian management event) Mediation analysis showed that most forms of recreation did not influence perceptions about severity of threats to blue spaces. Rather, the relationships between recreation and stewardship were mediated by greater place satisfaction, perceived vulnerability to blue space degradation, and feeling more able to contribute to waterway protection (efficacy). These findings indicate that many types of recreation (not just nature appreciation activities) can be a foundation for engaging in nature stewardship, and reinforce the importance of building efficacy when promoting stewardship. The finding that both place satisfaction and perceived vulnerability to environmental degradation suggests that there may be an optimal motivational window for stewardship: people need to connect a place with positive experiences, and have some recognition of a potential threat, but where the potential threat has not yet eroded the natural values of a place. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Fluid Structure Interaction Analyses of Elevated Storage Tank under Seismic Load

Elevated storage tanks are used to store fresh and waste water, cereal, oil and petrochemical materials. Therefore they serve in a wide area of utilization in this day and age. Analysis of a half full with water elevated storage tank is performed in the scope of this study. The structure is composed of a steel circular storage tank and frame typed steel stager. The structure is under the effect of earthquake loads as well as operational ones. Numerical model is generated by Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) software including fluid and structure parts. The interaction of the parts is provided by Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) technique. While the structure constitutes the Lagrangian part, the fluid constitutes the Eulerian part. Interaction of Eulerian and Lagrangian parts are provided by general contact algorithms. Free surface movement of the water, maximum displacements and natural frequency values with related mode shapes of the structure are obtained after numerical analysis. Numerical results are verified by semi-analytical model, where the structure is modelled as single degree of freedom system. The accordance between results is numerically and visually obtained. The turbulent movement of water under the influence of an earthquake is modelled by utilizing the CEL technique. So, the effect of the dynamic pressure induced by the turbulence on the tank and the structural system has been taken into consideration.

From Natural Law to Relativism: Joseph Ratzinger on the Normative Transformation since Kant

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to fill a certain gap in the assessment of relativism by drawing on Joseph Ratzinger’s (1927–2022) criticism of the normative transformation since Kant. During the Enlightenment, Natural Law was doubted as a cultural feature of Christianity that had no bearing on pluralist society. Consequently, this jurisprudential tradition underwent de-Hellenization and branched out in radical directions, the most decisive of which was Kant’s post-metaphysical system of natural values. Positivism and German Idealism attempted to restore the unity of philosophy that Kant’s philosophy had disrupted. Yet even more influentially, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it was Marxism that relativized the doxological aspect of normativity by emphasizing the importance of praxis. Since philosophy became neither an exact science as Kant had conceived it to be, nor a practical programme for social justice as Marxism had promised, the Existentialists, and particularly Sartre, advocated a more radical philosophy of freedom. Ratzinger argues that despite the nuances of post-Kantian philosophy, Positivism, Existentialism, and Marxism failed to comprehend the human condition and that the positivist method resulted in an overwhelming relativism that has reduced normativity to a matter of correct procedures rather than regarding it as the foundation of the inviolable dignity of the human being.

Natural background levels, source apportionment and health risks of potentially toxic elements in groundwater of highly urbanized area

Identifying the natural background levels (NBLs), threshold values (TVs), sources and health risks of potentially toxic elements in groundwater is crucial for ensuring the water security of residents in highly urbanized areas. In this study, 96 groundwater samples were collected in urban area of Sichuan Basin, SW China. The concentrations of potentially toxic elements (Li, Fe, Cu, Zn, Al, Pb, B, Ba and Ni) were analyzed for investigating the NBLs, TVs, sources and health risks. The potentially toxic elements followed the concentration order of Fe > Ba > B > Al > Zn > Li > Cu > Ni > Pb. The NBLs and TVs indicated the contamination of potentially toxic elements mainly occurred in the northern and central parts of the study area. The Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model identified elevated concentrations of Fe, Al, Li, and B were found to determine groundwater quality. The primary sources of Fe, Al, Pb, and Ni were attributed to the dissolution of oxidation products, with Fe additionally affected by anthropogenic reduction environments. Li and B were determined to be originated from the weathering of tourmaline. High levels of Ni and Cu concentrations were derived from electronic waste leakage, while excessive Ba and Zn were linked to factory emissions and tire wear. The reasonable maximum exposure (RME) of hazard index (HI) was higher than safety standard and reveal the potential health risks in the southwestern study area. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the Li concentrations possessed the highest weight contributing to health risk. This study provides a valuable information for source-specific risk assessments of potentially toxic elements in groundwater associated with urban areas.

Quantifying intangible values of wetlands as instrument for conservation in the Po delta park (Italy)

Wetlands possess intangible values that are usually overlooked in decision-making processes. Based on questionnaire surveys, this work aims to quantify both the non-use and cultural values provided by the different wetlands of the Po Delta Park (Northern Italy), selected as ideal case study, using willingness to pay (WTP) for wetland conservation and travel cost methods, respectively. Their relationships with socio-economic variables and respondents' preferences for current and future use were also analysed. The 61.39% of participants were willing to pay a mean amount of 95.8 € (±40). The average travel cost was 38.68 € (±6.24), with higher values observed for environmental experts than for other citizens. Wetlands differ significantly in travel costs, current and future use, but not in WTP. Poisson regressions showed that non-use and cultural values were significantly dependent on personal information, preference variables and travel distance. Intangible dimensions, such as bequest and existence values, showed higher valuations/rates than option and direct use values. The results highlight that perceptions of the intrinsic value of nature are influenced by demographic characteristics, distance from the area and desired future uses. Non-use values seem abstract and generalised to the whole area, regardless of the ecological characteristics of the wetland, even though a significant relation to wetland uses was observed. In contrast, cultural values are tied to specific wetlands, as indication of the importance of historical relationships between people and nature. Such findings underline that the different dimensions of intrinsic value of nature may act at different scales and help decision-makers to incorporate such values into environmental accounting.

Candisari Site: Cultural Heritage of the Lamongan Community

This research examined Candisari in Pandanan hamlet, Sugio village, Sugio District as one of the cultural heritages of Lamongan Regency with the aim of (1) describing the narrative structure and (2) the cultural value of Candisari. This research was descriptive qualitative research with data collection techniques carried out by (1) observation, (2) interviews, (3) recording, (4) note-taking, (5) transcripts, and (6) translation. Data analysis used Miles and Huberman’s qualitative data analysis with stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The research results were (1) analysis of Ala Maranda’s narrative structure with terem and functions to produce storyline, characterization, and good and bad functions. There were six characterizations, there were ten functions, namely six good functions and four bad functions, and (2) cultural values produced (b) the value of human trust in God, (b) the value of humans and humans, and (c) the value of humans and nature, there were two sources research data. Keywords: Candisari, narrative structure, cultural values