Exploring African Holism with Respect to the Environment

摘要

Contrary to a pervasive presumption of anthropocentricism in African thought, I identify an emphasis on the interrelatedness or interconnectedness of everything in nature, and argue that this is best construed as a rejection of anthropocentrism, and as something similar in conception to, and yet distinct from,holist perspectives. Ipropose that this strand of African thought, suitably reconstructed, should be construed as providing the basis for a promising non-anthropocentricAfrican environmentalism. I name this position 'African Relational Environmentalism', and suggest that it is what distinguishes this position from holism that can most enrich environmental ethics.