Hermeneutics and Field Environmental Philosophy: Integrating Ecological Sciences and Ethics into Earth Stewardship - Earth Stewardship: Linking Ecology and Ethics in Theory and Practice - page 235

Western modern traditions of thought, especially within the tradition of
Christianity, contemporary ecological sciences suggest that personality is not a
unique attribute of humans (van Dongen et al. 2010 ). Consequently, animals,
plants, and other entities may be viewed as having a personality, as being non-
human persons (Rozzi 2013 ). In other words, the soil, the air, the rivers, and the
sea are not simply “natural resources” in a narrow economic sense, but are a
biosphere with dignity. However, we ought to suspect that the etymologies of the
words ethos or ecology and economy (science and laws of the “house or home;”
i.e., the habitat) are not suffi cient to confront the interests of the market for the
exploitation of “natural resources.” The conceptual framework still requires inte-
grating social and axiological components.

15.2.2.2 Integrating Social Components and Biocultural Education

Rozzi et al. ( 2010 , p. 50) foster an inclusive process to conserve biodiversity within
an intercultural dialogue. In hermeneutics, such integration technically is called a
fusion of horizons of meaning (Gadamer 2000 ). When the interdisciplinary method
of integrating ecological sciences and environmental ethics (ecology studies the
habitats and ethics examines the habits) is understood, then the next step is to merge
these horizons of meaning in order to understand the Earth as more than a mere
resource. Obviously, this concept is foreign to the prevailing idea of economic
exploitation. However, the hermeneutical task is precisely to take ownership of that
which is foreign (Gadamer 2000 ); i.e., to appropriate a symbol of high signifi cance
that is foreign or strange . In this case, to translocate the aforementioned meaning of
land-resource into the symbolism of biosphere . To appropriate the new meaning
will imply a recognition of the other , simultaneously implying a transformation of
self-understanding.

15.2.3 The FEP Methodology

The FEP methodology has defi ned four steps (Rozzi et al. 2012 , p. 234): (1)
Interdisciplinary ecological, ethno-ecological, and philosophical research. This was
the fi rst point expressed in this essay to highlight the need for linking ecological
sciences and ethics, in order to achieve a deeper concept of Earth stewardship. Such
diversity of disciplines, cultures, perceptions, and values generate the need to move
to the next step: (2) Composition of metaphors and narratives through communica-
tion. Hermeneutics guides the creation of comprehensive metaphors that can help to
reassess the dignity of the Earth. If this is fully understood, then indiscriminate
exploitation will limit itself and will give way to other forms of relationship with the
biosphere. FEP's cycle is completed with two further practical steps: (3) Field activ-
ities guided with an ecological and ethical orientation, and (4) Implementation of
areas for in situ biocultural conservation.