2016 Virtual Dialogue on Harmony with Nature – Theme Earth Jurisprudence
By Pedro Mendonça – Philosophy/Ethics
1. What would the practice of Philosophy/Ethics look like from an Earth Jurisprudence
perspective? How is that different from the way that Philosophy/Ethics is generally
practiced now? And, what are the benefits of practicing Philosophy/Ethics from an Earth
Jurisprudence perspective?
The practice of Philosophy/Ethics from an Earth Jurisprudence perspective would reconnect
humans to life network, integrating the relation between me and myself, me and thou, the
community, the society and the ecossistem. And education from an Earth Jurisprudence perspective
may address:
 Ethos – emotional recognition and literacy, self-perception, inner silencing, ability to focus,
to be aware, to contemplate, recognition of our values and behavioral patterns. Those are
some abilities that promote wellbeing and allow us to perceive, empathize and get connected
to our environment.
 Oikos – Dialogue, Conflict Mediation, Non Violent Communication, Restorative Practices
and Cooperative Games are called Dynamics of Coexistence. Those practices help us to deal
with conflict in a creative and healthy way. It shows us that no one owns the truth, but each
of us has a perspective and a perception from the reality. Everyone has a contribution that
amplifies the worldview. If everyone has a contribution, we need spaces of confidence to
express ourselves freely and diversity and cooperation becomes important values.
 Polis – systemic and complex thought. How do the biological, social/cultural and individual
aspects are related? Once we are 100% species, 100% societal and 100% individual as
Edgar Morin would say.
 Kosmos – Learning the history of universe, our cosmic address and the history of life. Even
though there are competitions in nature, life developed through cooperation.
Ethical principles:
Ubuntu – this Xhosa/Zulu word means “I am who I am for what we all are”. This ancestral
knowledge recognizes the bond that connects the entire human kind as our constitutive basic aspect.
Mottainai – is a Japanese concept that means to respect the dignity that everything has – every
living beings and not living beings, thoughts, emotions and actions has dignity, and cannot be
wasted.
Satyagraha – this gandhian term refers to a commitment to the truth. The convergence between
thoughts, words and actions. To be transparent in our intentions. “The ends are the means”.
In a competitive culture we live guided by the Ethics of Convenience. What defines actions is only
the interest in the result. Humberto Maturana defines our culture as the Culture of Domination. The
values in this cultural model are War, Competition, Hierarchy, Authority, Power, Appropriation of
resources and truth. While in a culture of partnership the central values are Equity, Cooperation,
Dialogue, Inclusion, Comprehension, Agreement, Respect and Co-inspiration.
The examples presented in this document starts from a Human-Centered perspective but it’s driven
to a more holistic and integrated perspective, inherent from the Earth-Centered model.
2. What promising approaches do you recommend for achieving implementation of an
Earth- centered worldview for Philosophy/Ethics? (Note: depending on the discipline,
approaches could also be theoretical, although practical approaches should be prioritized).
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Our social structures are made based on a human centered perspective – hierarchical and made for
war. Those are some social models driven to a more horizontal, participative and democratic
approaches.
Restorative Justice is a Justice Model that is presented as an alternative to the Punitive Justice
system. That is a dialogical model, where everyone somehow involved in an offence sit together
and has space to express their perspective, feelings, needs, motivations, fears etc. This model allows
people to emphasize and comprehend others, creating a deeper responsibility and finding solutions
based on the injured needs more horizontally. This is a pedagogical model developed and largely
tested in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, United States and Brazil.
Cooperative Games at schools – this methodology construct challenges that depend on the
cooperation between the participants to be solved. Usually, the result of this challenge will benefit
the group or others. It stimulates people to develop intelligence, behaviors and skills to cooperate.
Conflict mediation and restorative practices at schools – there are many references of projects
that show the importance of dealing with conflict dialogically, restoring relations. This kind of
practice reduces bullying and stress on children and professors, and develop abilities and skills on
children to conduct and modulate their own relations, amplifying bonds of trust.
Motherhood – from 0 to 3 years old is a decisive period in a person’s life. Proper cares are
essential to form people able to trust, to pay attention and to harm and kind. There are several
knowledges in this field that enable parents, tutors and caregivers to provide qualified environment
to a baby’s growth.
Many Traditional Medicines able us to take care and maintain our own health, reconnecting us to
our own body, spirituality and to the nature. Be more responsible for our own health empower
people, reduce the absolute dependence on the medical system and pharmaceutical industry (that
still necessary and important).
Meditation – Attentional, contemplative and social affective practices able us to be more aware,
focused and connected to the present. Meditation is a path to develop it. It seems difficult to
develop a culture Earth-Centered with individuals disconnected and insensitive for what happens
around.
Social Business and Cooperative Business models – Companies focused in solve social problems
through sustainable solutions in cooperative management models are efficient, healthy and
connected to the environment.
3. What key problems or obstacles do you see as impeding the implementation of an Earthcentered worldview in Philosophy/Ethics?
The main obstacles I see are cultural and structural.
We evolved in the last thousand years with competition and war as paradigm. All the social
structures we have created are based in this paradigm. The way we see the world will define the way
are organized as a society.
While competition is a central value in our culture hardly we will be able to cooperate, trust,
dialogue, be open to different perspectives, expose our fragilities, be transparent and honest and see
nature not as a font of resources but as an expression of life, worthy of inherent respect.
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Hierarchy can be important in some cases, but this model is spread in every area of our society.
Hierarchical organizations don’t stimulate dialogue, contrast of ideas, conflict, learning and
responsibility.
Need to disqualify the other to countersign my group. This characteristic has a role to construct
human identity and reinforce groups in rough contexts. However, in a global society, it is been
unhealthy. We need to find the mechanisms to ease this process.
Difficulty to mindfulness – in a society that bombs us with every kind of stimulus all the time, the
ability to focus is a skill for sustainability. Stress dominates people, projects have no continuity,
dialogs affected by the incapacity to silence mind and fully listen are some losses caused by a lack
of mindfulness.
Distance and disconnection from nature – many people know how to use apps and gadgets but
are unable to say what is the function of the pancreas, or the difference between an eggplant and a
zucchini, or what is the dominant biome in his/her locality. We are nature, although away from it.
Reconnecting to the intelligence of the nature is fundamental to understand ourselves, the others
and respect the planet.
4. What are the top recommendations for priority, near-term action to move
Philosophy/Ethics toward an Earth Jurisprudence approach? What are the specific, longerterm priorities for action? (Note: give 3 to 10 priorities for action).
Actions for early childhood – reinforce a culture of motherhood, with the knowledge and practices
acquire on the most recent researches in the field of psychology, neuroscience, biology and
education. The experiences lived during 0 to 3 years defines pretty much our personality and
repertoire of behaviors.
An Integrated Education Models that includes the relation with our body, emotions, with the
friends, colleagues, unknown, our community and the all planet. It can be done through games,
movies and tours in the nature, besides the school experience.
Ethics and Culture of Peace programs for politicians and public managers.
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