The convergence of the directions of natural-science and social-humanitarian knowledge-7

Agnosticism, empiricism and a new ecological consciousness

Simplified views, which prove that the main negative factor of environmental destabilization is economic growth, gave way to a deeper understanding of the origins of the imbalance between man and nature. If in the Middle Ages in the human mind the notion of moral, religious, public debt prevailed, then in the XIX - XX centuries, the ideals of consumption, comfortable life became more widespread. Man along this path not only did not reach happiness, but also lost the opportunity to live in harmony with Nature and with himself.

In addition, the 20th century passed under the flag of euphoria from technological successes, and only at the turn of the third millennium did man realize that he is a child of Nature, and not its master. The supporters of the new ecological consciousness rethought the whole experience of mankind in their own way. It must be stated that they are striving to limit the engineering sciences, insisting on measuring the effectiveness of any industrial and technological activity in ecological, and not only in technical terms. For example, the central idea of ​​the supporters of "deep ecology" is to put the welfare of the biosphere above its own.

According to representatives of the new environmental consciousness, in particular, environmentalists, the production activities of people should gradually change their basis. There is a new modernization of the means of production, which naturally will be called environmental, since it will be oriented to the creation of industries that fit into its natural biogeochemical rhythms that do not violate the equilibrium state of the biosphere. The main task is not to short-term increase in output, but in the long-term stability of the development of human society. Economic growth should only be a means, but not an end in itself, and economic success can no longer be regarded as an adequate price for environmental instability.

Economic growth throughout the history of civilization occurred only at the expense of nature, to the detriment of the biosphere and environmental conditions. Among the currently dominant misconceptions are those that relate to the principles of economic development of modern society. This, for example, is the notion that the rate of economic growth of a society characterizes the degree of its well-being. Meanwhile, its rates can testify to the well-being of society only if it is provided by industries created on the basis of resource-saving technologies, i.e. production is highly ecological. Another misconception that mankind has to get rid of is that a large enterprise always works more intensively than a small one. Due to a number of factors of economic development, this idea was born during the initial accumulation of capital. At the same time, there was an installation for the creation of large enterprises, the merger of small enterprises and the absorption of one enterprise by another.

In that historical period, it really was profitable. But now, in the conditions of the formation of a new, high-tech production of the postindustrial society, the smallest enterprise is the most intensive form of management, while the large ones are increasingly exhibiting their extensiveness. Small enterprises are called upon not only to limit harmful effects on nature and intensify the production process. After all, the era of standard, mass production brought with it a sharply negative phenomenon - the standardization of life. Small-scale production, initially oriented in nature to the production of products unique in all senses of the word, is incomparably more suited to the needs of man. Due to the fact that for a small business it is necessary to make full use of all available resources, due to reasonable savings for it, a small enterprise is forced to work more intensively, and more environmentally inherently.

Representatives of the "deep ecology" understanding of modern technologies is clearly associated with further economic development. According to the proposals of these authors, first of all, it is necessary to implement the transition to high-tech waste-free production, which are as gentle as possible in relation to man and nature. At the same time, the quality and lifestyle of a person, his ideas about the surrounding world, must be radically changed, as a result of which mankind can radically change its mode of existence.

Thus, regarding the fundamental possibilities of cognition, there are various philosophical approaches. So, some theorists of knowledge claim that it is impossible in principle, that a person establishes illusory relationships.
Agnosticism in this approach is not shared by followers of empiricism and the scientific point of view. The followers of the last two points of view believe that the surrounding world is cognizable, and that experience and its analysis make it possible to identify certain laws and laws, which is especially important in the modern world in the formation of environmentalists.

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