This work examines a relational ontology with the focus on our relationships with the more-than-human world. The aim is to investigate a subject that is more suitable to face the challenges of our times. Inspired by the posthumanistic project as presented by Rosi Braidotti I propose a non-anthropocentric reading of Martin Buber’s I and Thou. In the first section of the essay I present an overview of Buber’s understanding of the subject and I also answer the question whether we can consider the I-Thou relationship to include the non-human world. In part two I investigate the characteristics of such a relationship, covering as well the act of dialogue. This opens up for a new understanding of the subject as constituted by relationships including non-human others. As an example of how to protect living I-Thou relationships with non-human others through the I-It logic of law I present the case study of the river Wanganui in New Zealand and its newly acquired status as a subject by law. Finally I conclude by discussing a possible ethic where relational capacities are key.

Grönt socialt arbete innebär ett paradigmskifte för professionen som sådan och syftet i föreliggande uppsats var att ta reda på hur socialarbetaren kan arbeta rent praktiskt, inom ramen för grönt socialt arbete. Med sin kritik mot nyliberala strukturer och sätt att främja resiliens hos sårbara och marginaliserade människor sammanfattar denna scoping review 12 artiklar som behandlar grönt socialt arbete. Att socialarbetaren arbetar med djur och växter innebär ett postantropocentriskt glokalt socialt arbete där miljöförändringar i en del av världen även påverkar en annan del av världen. Grönt socialt arbete ifrågasätter nyliberalismen, ser holistiskt på människans livsförutsättningar och motverkar miljömässig ojämlikhet. / Green social work means a paradigm shift for the profession and the aim in the present study is to highlight how the social worker can work in a practical way, within the framework of green social work. With its critique of neoliberal structures and ways of promoting resilience in vulnerable and marginalized people, this scoping review summarizes 12 articles dealing with green social work. That the social worker works with animals and plants means a post-anthropocentric glocal social work where environmental changes in one part of the world also affect another part of the world. Green social work question neoliberalism, take a holistic view of human life conditions and counteract environmental inequality.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research project has been purposed at shedding light and bringing clarity and practical resolution to the ethical dilemma brought about by seemingly incompatible principles and value positions associated with the two contentious issues: social development and nature conservation. In view of exposing the contentions between the two above-mentioned value positions, this project has pitted anthropocentrism against biocen trism / ecocen trism. However, as alluded to in this research, many people in developing countries, South Africa included, are victims of poverty and hunger which need redress. Unfortunately the alleviation of the same has been made possible through ruthless exploitation and maximum expansion of natural resources and in the process, the environment suffered much. However, with social development, the natural environment is often sacrificed and conversely with the protection and preservation of nature, man is then condemned to destitution. With the introduction and the case expose forming the introduction of this research project in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 is devoted to the research methodology used throughout this project. Also, given the problem statement, endeavours to search for answers to the central questions are outlined. An analysis of the case study is also made in this chapter. Chapter 3 deals with the weighing of the classical dilemmas namely: anthropocentrism versus biocentrism / ecocentrism and this further entails the notion of justice versus conservation pertaining the case in point. These classical dilemmas are put into critical perspective in Chapter 4 wherein monistic value approaches are exposed in terms of their failures. Precisely, the either-or choices following from pure theoretical principles are put into question with reference to the case under discussion. An alternative, namely the pragmatic approach, which maintains a multiplicity of values, is hereby brought into play. Chapter 5 entails a critical appraisal of the decision to be taken by the Makhado Municipality Council with regard to the development of the shopping complex or the protection of the indigenous tree sanctuary. In conclusion, recommendations and suggestions are stated within the context of the case in point. However, it is imperative to note that these recommendations and suggestions should be read in conjunction with one another, and not in isolation from one another. Furthermore, the same should not in anyway be indiscriminately used as a universal standard in any similar or related case. Further research on this ethical debate is encouraged. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsingsprojek is om helderheid en 'n praktiese oplossing te kry met betrekking tot die etiese dilemma wat voortspruit uit die oeriskynlik onversoenbare beginsels en waardeposisies wat geassosieer word met twee omstrede kwessies, naamlik sosiale ontwikkeling en natuurbewaring. Met die oog daarop om die kwelpunte rondom bogenoemde twee waardeposisies aan die lig te bring, stel hierdie projek antroposentrisme teenoor biosentrisme / ekosentrisme. Baie mense in ontwikkelende lande, insluitend Suid-Afrika, IS slagoffers van armoede en hongersnood, soos aangedui word in die loop van hierdie navorsing. Hierdie situasie noodsaak regs telling. Pogings om verligting te bring in hierdie verband, lei egter tot die genadelose eksploitasie en maksimum ontwikkeling van natuurlike hulpbronne. In hierdie proses word die omgewing ernstig beskadig. Die ongelukkige toedrag van sake is dus dat sosiale ontwikkeling dikwels geskied ten koste van die omgewing, terwyl die beskerming en bewaring van die omgewing op sy beurt dikwels die mens behoeftig laat. Hoofstuk 1 van hierdie navorsingsprojek bevat 'n inleiding en beskrywing van die geval onder bespreking, terwyl Hoofstuk 2 gewy word aan die navorsingsmetodologie wat in hierdie projek gebruik word. Dit bevat ook 'n skets van die pogings om antwoorde te soek op die sentrale vrae van die probleemstelling, en 'n analise van die gevallestudie. In Hoofstuk 3 word die klassieke dilemmas wat verband hou met die betrokke probleem opgeweeg, naamlik antroposentrisme teenoor biosentrismej ekosentrisme, en die idee van geregtigheid teenoor die idee van bewaring. Bogenoemde klassieke dilemmas word in 'n kritiese lig beskou in Hoofstuk 4 deurdat die tekortkominge van monistiese waardebenaderings uitgewys word. Die 6f-6f keuses wat volg uit suiwer teoretiese beginsels word bevraagteken met verwysing na die geval onder bespreking. 'n Pleidooi word uiteindelik gelewer vir 'n alternatiewe pragmatiese benadering wat eerder 'n veelheid van waardes betrek. Hoofstuk 5 bevat 'n kritiese beoordeling van die keuse wat die Makhado Munisipaliteitsraad moet maak tussen die ontwikkeling van 'n winkelkompleks of die beskerming van 'n inheemse boomreservaat. Ter afsluiting word aanbevelings en voorstelle gemaak in verband met die kwessie onder bespreking. Dit is egter belangrik om daarop te let dat hierdie aanbevelings en voorstelle nie apart van mekaar beskou moet word nie, maar eerder saam gelees moet word. Dit is verder ook belangrik dat die aanbevelings en voorstelle wat met betrekking tot hierdie geval gemaak word nie sonder meer gebruik moet word as 'n universele standaard vir soortgelyke of verwante gevalle nie. Verdere navorsing oor hierdie etiese debat word aangemoedig.

In this thesis we deal with the analysis of expressions - in particular the metaphorical and phraseological expressions - containing a motive of an animal in Czech and Norwegian. The method is based on cognitive linguistics, mainly on the Polish ethnolinguistic school, with a special focus on the definition of metaphor and symbol from the point of view of the philosophical hermeneutics. We describe and support some common principles of the perception and conceptualization of animals in both languages and we focus on semantic connections concerning this topic. Our main focus is on the expression wolf - we compare the linguistic picture of the world of this controversial animal in Czech and Norwegian.

I. Abstract This paper is based on the theoretical principes of the Polish ethnolinguistic works introduced in the first part of this paper. We pay special attention to the theory of anthropocentrism of a natural language. The main focus of this theory is the differentiation between "one's own" and "human" on one side and "someone else's" and "non-human"on the other in a cognitive comprehension of the world. We further apply the anthropocentric approach to outline the conceptualization of domestic animals in the Czech language. The second part of the text deals with the expression pes (‚dog') in Czech and its derivatives, their position within the lexical system, their semantics, connotations and the stereotypes associated with them. The conclusion presents a cognitive definition of the concept pes (‚dog') in Czech. The definition builds upon the entry structure of the Polish Dictionary of Folk Stereotypes and Symbols.

M.A. University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2012. / Humanity’s relationship with nature has, in recent years, undoubtedly been one of contention and turmoil, an issue whose drama is gaining popularity in popular culture and, especially, film. In this dissertation I examine how these challenging human-nature relationships play out in Terrence Malick’s The New World, Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man and Encounters at the End of the World, Sean Penn’s Into the Wild, and the Jon Krakauer book, of the same title, upon which Penn’s film is based. As one’s views on nature (like all else) are mediated through language, using ecocritical principles slanted towards filmic, as opposed to written, texts, I provide a close examination of the ways in which these artists portray the relationship between language and nature, and the impact this has on our cultural and individual identities. I will also show how these primary texts make use of centuries-old Romantic aesthetics in order to humanise nature for moral ends. The primary texts agree that a large part of the problem in the poor relationship between humanity and nature is due to inadequate metaphors with which humanity views the earth. Thus, each artist promotes a certain kind of anthropomorphic understanding of nature which he believes is pivotal in encouraging better interconnections between humanity and nature. As a result, I provide a critique of the kinds of metaphors used by each respective artist, where some metaphors of nature may support or contradict a certain artist’s aims in his portrayal of human-nature relationships.

Dagvattenhanteringen är ett aktuellt ämne i dagens stadsplanering. Forskning som denna studie utgår ifrån visar hur dagens traditionella system inte klarar av kommande klimatförändringar med mer och intensivare nederbörd. Dagvatten för med sig föroreningar samt miljögifter som kväve och fosfor, men även tungmetaller som klorid, olja, organiska miljögifter och bakterier. Det traditionella systemet leder dagvatten ofta rakt ut i våra vattendrag via recipienterna då endast 8 procent av Sveriges dagvatten blev renat år 2016. För en djupare förståelse kring detta utgår studien ifrån teorier inom hållbar utveckling, antropocentrism, ekocentrism samt det rumsliga perspektivet. Materialet består av litteratur, artiklar, tidigare forskning samt fyra intervjuer. Informanterna består av en konsult, en som arbetar på en branschorganisation och två från Karlstad kommun för att få förståelse kring dagvattenhantering, hur en hållbar dagvattenhantering definieras och hur Karlstads kommuns vision för dagvattenhanteringen ser ut. I resultatet för denna uppsats har det framkommit att informanternas syn på dagvatten stämmer överens med Naturvårdsverkets riktlinje av hållbar dagvattenhantering. Karlstad kommuns visioner kring dagvatten lever även upp till denna definition. Utifrån materialet kan uppsatsen visa på att informanterna har en bred kunskap kring framtidens klimatpåverkan på dagvatten samt dess åtgärder. Teorierna har kopplats med resultatet där det går att förstå hur det rumsliga perspektivet påverkas beroende på hur dagvatten hanteras och att en intergenerationell antropocentrism samt svag ekocentrism kan utläsas från intervjuerna. / The stormwater management is topical in today’s urban planning. The research that this study is based of shows how today's traditional system can not cope with future climate change with more intense precipitation. Stormwater also spreads pollution and environmental toxins such as nitrogen and phosphorus, but also heavy metals as chloride, oil, organic pollutants and bacteria. The traditional system often leads the stormwater straight into our waters via the recipients. Only 8 percent of Sweden's stormwater was purified in 2016. For a deeper understanding about this, the study is based on theories in sustainable development, anthropocentrism, ecocentrism and the spatial perspective. The study is based on the theories above, previous research as well as four interviews with a consultant, one who works on a industry sector organisation and two people who works on Karlstad kommun. The people are chosen for a deeper understanding about stormwater, how a sustainable stormwater management is defined and how Karlstad kommuns visions for stormwater management are. The result of this thesis has revealed that the informants view of stormwater is in line with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's guideline on sustainable stormwater management. The visions of stormwater in Karlstad kommun also live up to this definition. Based on the empirical data, the essay can show that the informants have a broad knowledge of future climate impact on the subject and its measures. The theories are linked with the result, where it is possible to see how the spatial perspectives are affected depending on how stormwater is managed and that an intergenerational anthropocentrism and weak ecocentrism perspective can be read from the interviews.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2015-07-03T14:23:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FelipeLoges.pdf: 718430 bytes, checksum: 0b7d7d4c0fab0d7fa5c5942ef9b39f08 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-03T14:23:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FelipeLoges.pdf: 718430 bytes, checksum: 0b7d7d4c0fab0d7fa5c5942ef9b39f08 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-28 / Nenhuma / O presente trabalho pretende analisar o antropocentrismo no direito constitucional ambiental, a possível superação do antropocentrismo da filosofia moderna através da filosofia Heideggeriana. O presente estudo busca verificar o método de interpretação das normas e dos princípios em matéria ambiental, e ainda, dessa forma, examinar os fundamentos doutrinários, legais e jurisprudenciais que determinam a atuação protetiva do meio ambiente, bem como a reparação do dano ambiental e a existência de hierarquia entre restauração e reparação pecuniária. / This paper intends to examine the anthropocentrism in environmental constitutional law, the possibility of the overcome the anthropocentrism in modern philosophy through the Heidegger philosophy. This study seeks to verify the method of interpretation of the rules and principles in environmental matters, and, thus, examine the doctrinal foundations, legal and case law that determine the protective role of the environment as well as compensation for environmental damage and the existence hierarchy between restoration and payment of compensation.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:20:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andre Luis Cais.pdf: 1116607 bytes, checksum: 7bbfc501bfa8eb94855f57658a33bae3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-24 / This proposal aims to reflect on the recent discussion presented by academic and scientific community about the use of animals in scientific experimentation and propose improvement of Brazilian legislation on animal welfare. It is necessary a brief historical background on the origin and evolution of the concept of anthropocentrism to current biocentrism, closely related to the discussion of Nature and animal rights. The discussion dealt with some thoughts about the justification for the use of animals in scientific experiments and the need for an effective and efficient Board of Ethics, able to manage animal experiments or avoid their repetition and multiplication without substantial reason or scientific basis that may benefit man rather than the conservation of nature. In this context, Nature, especially animals, deserve a proper reflection and a philosophical inquiry: are animals subjects of rights or do they deserve to be respected only under a humanist view in favor to the human use and benefit? / A presente proposta tem por objetivo refletir sobre a recente discussão apresentada pela comunidade acadêmica e científica acerca do uso de animais na experimentação científica, bem como propor o aperfeiçoamento da legislação brasileira sobre o bem-estar animal. Faz-se necessário um breve contexto histórico sobre a origem e a evolução do conceito de antropocentrismo para a corrente do biocentrismo, intimamente relacionada com a discussão sobre a natureza e os direitos dos animais. A discussão abordada faz uma reflexão sobre a justificativa para a utilização de animais em experimentos científicos e a necessidade de um Conselho de Ética efetivo e eficaz, capaz de gerenciar experimentações em animais ou impedir a sua repetição e multiplicação, sem razões substanciais ou embasamento científico que beneficie o homem em detrimento da conservação da natureza. Nesse quadro, a natureza, em especial os animais, merecem uma reflexão adequada e um questionamento filosófico: os animais são sujeitos de direitos ou merecem ser respeitados apenas por uma visão humanista em prol do uso e do benefício humano?

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:23:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa Hasson de Oliveira.pdf: 1261667 bytes, checksum: b4085812b7e1bd49a8ca78b242e9a713 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present thesis has as an objective to deepen the theme of planet dignity, axis of the theorical mark of the Humanistic Capitalism, taking the subject of recognition of planetary dignity as a vector of Brazilian Constitution. In order to do so, this work adopts interdisciplinarity, running through the various disciplines that, somehow, establish the needed conversations to show the interdependence between all that live in, and in this form, are part of the planet in its universality. The proposal takes as its core the theory of autopoiesis systems, gravitating quantum physics, theology and philosophy in search of an original element common to all and everyone that justify the pretension of contributing to an paradigmatic change in Law and society, abandoning the anthropocentric perspective definitely for the establishment of a polycentric biopolitic affirmative, achieving, thus, the spin necessary to surpass the ecological crisis in which the world is drowning in / A presente tese objetiva aprofundar o tema da dignidade do planeta Terra, eixo do marco teórico do Capitalismo Humanista, levando ao cabo a proposta do reconhecimento da dignidade planetária como vetor da Constituição brasileira. Para tanto, o trabalho adota a interdisciplinaridade, percorrendo as várias disciplinas que de alguma forma estabelecem as conversações necessárias a demonstrar a interdependência entre todos os que habitam e, desta forma, constituem o Planeta em sua universalidade. A proposta toma como centro a teoria de sistemas autopoiéticos, gravitacionando ao redor do Direito, a física quântica, a teologia, a filosofia da linguagem e a metafísica, na busca de um elemento originário e comum, a tudo e a todos, que justifique a pretensão de contribuir para uma mudança paradigmática no Direito e na sociedade, abandonando-se a perspectiva antropocêntrica definitivamente para o estabelecimento de uma biopolítica policêntrica afirmativa, realizando, assim, o giro necessário a superar a crise ecológica em que o mundo está mergulhado