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Case Study:
1. Cosmos-centric Approach In earlier civilization, human beings understood themselves as being in harmony with nature. The whole cosmos is one whole system of order of which we are part. Early Greek and Chinese philosophers articulated this harmony in their poetry and reflections. Early Greek philosophers were focused on finding the “basic stuff” of the universe. This means that they understood everything in the universe to be united by one basic element. For Taoist thought, the universe is understood as a vast spectrum of energy in need of constant balance and harmony. In the middle of the two opposite poles- heaven and the earth, is the human being. Natural laws govern the movement of Qi as Yin and Yang to create a harmonious balance in the universe. Part of the balance created is the human being- a reflection of the balance between heaven and earth, of Yin and Yang. The human person can affect the balance in the environment. If there is too much Yang in the person (meaning there is too much expenditure of energy such as aggression, greed, vanity, and other forms of imbalance), the surrounding envir

onment suffers as well. Forest is denuded, rivers are polluted, etc. These are all results of overconsumption and wasteful living of the human being. However, if there is too much Yin (indifference, idleness, or laziness) there is no regard for the preservation of the earth’s resources. We simply watch and wait everything to self-destruct. The Cosmos-centric Approach to understanding our relationship with the environment shows that human beings are a microcosm of the cosmos (‘micro’- small + ‘cosmos’-universe). It means the universe is reflected in us; we are the small version of the universe. The same cosmic patterns that govern nature also govern our being. This means that when these natural laws and cosmic patterns are tampered with (like increased air pollution leading to global warming), results in an imbalance that also affects the balance within humans (i.e., increase incidence of asthma). If there is no balance of energies in nature, the persons also feel an imbalance within themselves. On the reverse side, when there is an imbalance within the person, there would also imbalance in everything around him.