환경교육의 철학

A Study on Philosophy of Environmental Education

The aim of this study is to investigate the theoretical backgrounds of philosophy of environmental education, to propose the ideas, principles, roles of it, and to suggest the implications to its educational practices. First, researcher investigated that philosophy of environmental education is based upon some important environmental philosophy or ethics. Generally speaking, environmental philosophy or ethics is divided into three streams, as it were, anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism. Philosophy of environmental education supported more assumptions of biocentrism, and ecocentrism than anthropocentrism. From this point of view, it must be different from traditional philosophy of education based on assumptions of anthropocentrism. Secondly, researcher discussed on the characteristics and structures of philosophy of environmental education and on the relations of science of environment and philosophy of environment. And I suggested some general principles of philosophy of environmental education that people must pursue with one's belief and passion. Those principles are included: reverence for life, respect for nature, and commensalism or 'sang seng'(in korean word). Those are principles of education for human beings as well as environment, and furthermore, ultimate moral principles of life of human and all living things. Thirdly, researcher discussed on the roles of philosophers of environmental education. They have to work well analytic, critical, and normative functions to solve the problematic situation related to the environment around human-beings. The main roles of them are followings: clarification of concepts or terms related to environmental education, and cultivation of effective models or methods of environmental education, justification on the reasons for love, reverence, respect, caring about all living things in nature, and reconstruction of rules and principles of environmental education. Therefore, environmental education has to concern with change the modes of thought and way of life fundamentally.