Our attempts to understand nature were always based on the anthropocentric viewpoint such that we always saw nature as opposed to man. This reflects the trace of our scientific development. Our science and technology have been established and developed on the basis of the anthropocentric view of value. According to this view, man stands opposed to nature, and thus he challenges it, transforms it and even exploits it. The implication of man's exploitative attitude toward nature is an optimistic idea of progress. If man's knowledge leads to progress and thus to scientific and technological progress, then human freedom and social advancement will be promised in future. But. such optimistic belief in human progress has turned out to be false. The newly recognised fact that this universe is not infinite has brought an end to the optimistic idea of human progress. Today we are fully aware of the fact that, if we keep this idea and practise it, we will hasten the destruction of our universe, because we may increase the pollution of our environment, the problems of shortage of food and of natural resources, etc. The destruction of our future society and the crisis for survival have been predicted, and many people in fact are involved in disbelief in progress and in the movement to arrest pollution, to limit freedom and even to 'anti-scientism'. Thus we need 'a new type of man', aware of the problems and awakened to new needs. What is needed for us today is a 'redirection of inward attitudes', and this might be achieved through a better awareness of our responsibility as stewards of creation. It is in fact more importantly implied in the Christian doctrine of creation that man does not claim unlimited dominion, but that he is trustee and steward, responsible to God in his care of the creation. And nature itself is said to participate in the drama of redemption and will share in the ultimate harmony that is its final fulfilment. (Cf. Rom. 8: 18 ff) Thus the future of man ought to be seen in close connection with the future of nature.
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