Wildnis oder genutzte Natur? Über nicht diskutierte Grundsatzfragen der aktuellen Umweltpolitik

Abstract

Since the Enlightenment, the world has been divided into the realm of freedom (humans) and the realm of necessity (nature), a division that led humans to adopt an instrumental approach to nature as material. The present article argues that this is a key cause of today's environmental problems. Since there are no concepts on how humans could exploit nature without stepping out of the dualism of domination – either I rule over nature or I am ruled by it – the author outlines a new approach, taking the example of the Alps and the Alpine cultural landscapes. The example shows how it was possible for pre-modern societies to use and alter nature without destroying it. In light of this example, the conclusion assesses today's environmental challenges.