Reflections on Bukusu Ecological Wisdom and Virtue in Environmental Ethics Discourse
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Date
2018
Authors
Makokha, Kibaba
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
European Centre for Research, Training and Development (ECRTD), UK
Abstract
Conservation, protection and care of the natural environment is a major issue
of concern in the 21st century. It’s in recognition of this fact that environmental issues
occupy significant space in various fields of scholarly pursuit. Philosophical reflections on
these issues have been rife. This paper is premised on the position that present environmental
crisis is largely caused by human actions and inactions, particularly due to increased human
capacity to interfere with natural processes. In this paper we have shown that the humannature encounter raises serious ethical concerns and hence the need for an ethical response.
However we are cognizant of the theoretical controversies in environmentalism particularly
regarding the appropriate framework to articulate the ethical dimension of human-nature
relationship. It is against this backdrop that this study from which this paper has been
developed was conceived. This paper is therefore based on the findings of a study carried out
in an African cultural context to assess the contribution of culture and tradition to the
aforementioned debate in environmental ethics. The study is a reconstruction of the Bukusu
(one of the Kenyan ethnic communities) environmental values gathered through intensive
oral interviews and subjected to rigorous critical scrutiny and analysis. The study reveals an
environmental an ethic which recognizes inherent value in nonhuman nature while
emphasizing the unique place of humanity in nature. The Bukusu environmental wisdom and
virtue support principles and values aimed at achieving ecological balance and harmony.
This is perfectly consistent with Bukusu morality which emphasizes harmonizing
relationships. Finally and most significantly the findings support eco-sustainability as the
ideal human-nature ethical theoretical framework.
Description
Article
Keywords
Environmental Conservation, Bukusu Environmental Wisdom and Virtue, Shallow Ecology, Deep Ecology, Eco-sustainability, Limanya, Kinship
Citation
Makokha, K. Reflections on Bukusu Ecological Wisdom and Virtue in Environmental Ethics Discourse.