ECOLOGY AND THE POVERTY OF HUMANISM - A CRITICAL SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE

This paper explores what we might mean by the terms ''humanism'' and ' 'the ecological perspective'' using a new kind of systems model. It is argued that humanism represents an uncritical acceptance of boundarie s that always priortise individual human beings, human societies and/o r human communicative systems in analyses. The contention is that this can no longer be considered legitimate. If an uncritically prioritise d boundary is always placed around the human element, then that which is seen as lying beyond the human boundary (our ''environment'') will inevitably be marginalised, and will come to be regarded as profane. W hat is profane is subject to abuse, much of which is ritualised. Becau se we now realise that there is no real separation between ''us'' (hum an beings) and ''it'' (the environment), this is not 'just' environmen tal abuse - it is self-abuse. Our ''selves'' are wider than the uncrit ically prioritised boundaries of our human bodies. We therefore have t o look for an alternative to humanism. One such alternative is the eco logical perspective which allows choice between boundaries and refuses to prioritise the human element uncritically.