Are we anthropocentric, Biocentric or Ecocentric?

I believe that as a whole, we are anthropocentric. However, I also believe that a large number of people today are at least biocentric. It’s just that to sustain the current demand for production, resources must be harvested at a faster rate. This means that human needs for products is often put before the biota or the ecosystem.

It is often expected of us to put our species first. Although possibly counterintuitive, the survival of other species is actually beneficial to our survival. A biocentric view means thinking of all elements of the biota as equals. No human comes before any bear or plant or insect. Ecocentric views include the ecosystem alongside biota. Unfortunately these views are not the norm.

I stand by an ecocentric view. For starters, animals and humans (who are inherently just animals) are equally important in the ecosystem. Additionally, the land and air and other abiotic parts are also incredibly important. Without the land, there would be no plants or animals (or us). Same with water and air. The cryosphere plays an important part too.

Without all the components of the ecosystem to sustain us we wouldn’t be able to sustain our ever-increasing demands. I recognize the importance of all the elements of nature. We need water not only to drink but to power our electric appliances too. Whose parts we mined from the land. We ought to appreciate all that it takes for our world to be the way it is.

In recent times, we have gotten increasingly narcissistic and continue to distance ourselves from the rest of nature. We prioritize our needs before what we know to be sustainable. It isn’t difficult to see that this is unsustainable.