Abstract

Throughout history, nature has been of predominant value for human. It can be said that, compared to human, all religions and intellectual schools attached even greater importance to nature and severely underline the respect for it in their teachings. With technology grown, man achieved the ability to interfere with his life environment in an irrevocable way. In the meantime, the change in man’s attitude towards nature was the source of the harms caused to the environment. The right of man to exploit nature for his own welfare through complete domination over nature was recognized. And as for changes in his life, man paid no attention to the harms caused to nature to the extent that he saw himself in contrast with nature. Having mainly aimed to consider philosophers’ beliefs, the research is determined to review and analyze their attitudes. In the meantime, the attitudes of Marxism and Islam towards nature, which are materialistic and divine views respectively, have been considered. The research method is documentary-analytical. Considering the results obtained, the improvement of man’s view towards environment and present idea is deemed necessary. The conception that man is entitled to multilaterally exploit environment should be obliterated. By reviewing many past opinions, one can try to reconstruct environment and compensate the existing cultural shortcoming or, that is to say, the forgotten correct look at environment, which bothers today’s societies. Revival of the Islam’s look at environment can be considered a conspicuous step in this regard.

Key words: Philosophy, environmental education, environmental protection.