Philosophy of ecology
Its main concerns centre on the practice and application of ecology, its moral issues, and the intersectionality between the position of humans and other entities.
For example, this field considers the 'nature of nature',[2] the methodological and conceptual issues surrounding ecological research, and the problems associated with these studies within its contextual environment.
Ecology was considered as “the science of the economy [and] habits,”[4] according to Stauffer, and was proponent in understanding the external interrelations between organisms.
Haeckel termed ‘ecology’ in his book, Generelle Morphologie der Organismen (1866),[4][5] in the attempt to present a synthesis of morphology, taxonomy, and the evolution of animals.
[6] Haeckel aimed to refine the notion of ecology and propose a new area of study to investigate population growth and stability,[7] as influenced by Charles Darwin and his work in Origin of Species (1859).
[4] In the English translation by Stauffer, Haeckel defined ecology as “the whole science of the relationship of organism to environment including, in the broad sense, all the ‘conditions for existence.
There is yet to be an established consensus amongst philosophers about the exact definition of ecology, however, there are commonalities in the research agendas that helps differentiate this discipline from other natural sciences.
[19] American environmentalist Aldo Leopold (1886-1948), affirm that ethics should be extended to encompass the land and biotic communities as well, rather than pertaining exclusively to individuals.
System entails understanding the processes, of which interconnected sections establish a holistic identity, not separated or predictable from their components.
[21] There are three main concerns that ecologists generally concur with: naturalism, scientific realism, and the comprehensive scope of ecology.
Philosopher Frederick Ferre defines two different primary meanings for nature in Being and Value: Toward a Constructive Postmodern Metaphysics (1996).
[23] Common questions involve examining whether the means to understanding an object is through critical analyses of its constituents (reductionism) or ‘contextualisation’ of its components (holism) to retain phenomenological value.
[24] Holists maintain that certain unique properties are attributed to the abiotic or biotic entity, such as an ecosystem, and how these characteristics are not intrinsically applicable to its separate components.
Methodology employed under rationalist approaches became pronounced in the 1920s by Alfred Lotka's (1956) and Vito Volterra's (1926) logistic models that are known as Lotka-Volterra equations.
[26] A common belief amongst environmental philosophy is the view that biological entities are morally valuable and independent of human standards.
The main issue is to also incorporate natural entities in its ethical concern, which involves conscious, sentient, living and existing beings.
[33] Critics of the employment of mathematical models within ecology question its use and the extent of their relevance, prompted by an imbalance in investigative procedure and theoretical propositions.
However, Weiner argues that, in reality, prey population still maintains their oscillating cycles, even if the predator is removed, and is an inaccurate representation of natural phenomena.
