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No, I don't quite agree with that. I would say that some of us - or even most of us - are the cause of the problems, but not all of us. I can't really put 'humans' as a problem, since I'm hoping for solutions that do not require the extinction of the human race. I could put something like human nature or habit. If I didn't believe that we could change, then I wouldn't be here.

Sad to hear about that snowdoll. That's just mean.

Hello there kat and welcome. :)

Hello there Courtnie and welcome. :)

Yay, a person from the Philippines. Welcome welcome!

Yay, a person from New England. Welcome welcome!

Oups, didn't see your reply to this Simon. I would love to go into details, but I never quite got to reading the book. Too many things on my mind right now, so maybe some other time.

Hello there and welcome .

Just hoping to debate about philosophical subjects in a friendly international forum, and learn more about the environment and what we can do for it.

If responsibility does not entail that we have to or ought to do something, then we don't disagree Simon. But I do think that we disagree on a very fundamental level. You - and 90% of all people on earth - probably believe that we have responsibilities outside our own interests; that there at things we should do even if it doesn't further our interests in any way. I on the other hand don't think that there is anything that anyone should do, if it is not in some way in their interests. I did not arrive at this conclusion happily, but it is what I have come to believe. At this moment though I have gotten quite used to the idea and don't think so badly of it anymore.

Hello and welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you too. :)

No problem. What I mean is that when it comes to a lot of the problems we face today, it is useful to say that it was caused by humans and not nature. It's a question of semantics. You might prefer to say that the problems were caused by humans and not animals and plants. Another might prefer to say that the problems were caused by humans and not other animals and the plants. Since humans are also animals some might not like to seperate humans from animals. That's all there is to it. In a sense, all the environmental problems we face today are caused by nature, they are 'natural'. That just doesn't narrow it down very much. On another point, I don't think that we have a responsibility to take care of the earth, I just think it's the smartest thing to do; it is absolutely in our best interest to do it.

Hello and welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you too. :)

I wouldn't call that physical reality dictating your actions, I would call that physical reality limiting options that you are free to choose. For this topic we should narrow it down to very simple and basic actions like raising a hand, or deliberately blinking or holding you breath. Buying a house, choosing a major or things like that have many factors that need to be considered. It complicates matters unnecessarily. If you choose to raise you left arm instead of your right arm, all things being equal, is it an act of free will or is not? Or, if I ask that you close your eyes and count slowly to 3 - and assuming that you have done that - would you say that you acted out of free will or would you not? If not, then why? @Karim If you deny the existence of free will, then I can understand why you would classify your position as being on the unpopular side. However you say this: That depends on what is included in 'all'. If 'all' includes my choice of doing something, then I can't see how it isn't self-contradictory, and more than just seemingly paradoxical. I can accept that I can't choose my desires. I can even accept that I can't change my desires (through no ordinary means or perhaps not at all). I can't accept that I can't choose whether or not to satisfy my desires, all things being equal. Right now I desire to see a movie. I choose not to. I still desire it though.

I think I understand what you mean when you say that everything - including human pollution - is nature at work. However I do wish to separate humans from nature when we speak of them, because I think it's a useful distinction.