THE VIRTUE OF HUMAN HEARTEDNESS: ENVIRONMENTAL SALVATION

THE VIRTUE OF HUMAN HEARTEDNESS: ENVIRONMENTAL SALVATION
By: Jalton G. Cartel 2 BS Medical Technology

I.Introduction
This term paper aims to discuss what people do in order to save our environment. This also aims to help to discover how Che’ng Hao principle of virtue in human heartedness saves our environment. And also what people should embodied in order to save our environment.
“The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious things that we have and we need to defend it.” (Attenborough D. 2014).
God created the planet earth, where human, plants and animals lived. People long ago enjoying the richness of nature, the fresh air and the water. But now days the world is immensely different from what it was before.
The plants, trees and flowers are life forms which God has created for us to enjoy its beauty but human beings in today’s generation don 't have any concern regarding to the importance of this nature in the environment. People continuing devastating the blessing that God gave it to us.
The issue of the environmental problems has suddenly evolved into a widespread issue which is greatly discussed throughout the world. No longer are humans living in a world where the environment is stable but much rather becoming unrecognizable and diminishing before our eyes.
The principle of Che 'ng Hao 's philosophy is that oneness with all things is a concrete reality which can be carried out through human heartedness. An individual must, therefore understand the core of Jen before he/she experience a sense of harmony with all things. (Siringan, 2011).
II.Rationale
Our planet, Earth is much like a home but we never care to look after it like our homes. We utilize its resources, we pollute it with waste or trash, and we never thought that what things will be like in the coming days or future, never thinking what shape things will be in for our children.
Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how climate change is affecting the planet and our communities, and most agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue.
In addition to impacting our water resources, energy supply, transportation, agriculture, and ecosystems, the United States Global Change Research Program concludes that climate change also poses unique challenges to human health, such as significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very likely, some diseases transmitted by food, water, and insects are likely to increase, certain groups, including children, the elderly, and the poor, are most vulnerable to a range of climate-related health effects. These impacts will result in significant costs to our families and the economy. (Natural Resources Defense Council 2011).
Further, deforestation also is one of the problem that we encounternow days, deforestation is the removal of forest trees for various reasons normally done by man. Some of these reasons include the cutting of forest trees for commercial and development needs or for subsistence use like firewood or to build a house. Whatever the reasons for deforestation, the matter is of serious concern not only for government but also for people concerned with the state of the environment.
Mr Nasome says deforestation is considered an environmental problem by the department especially if the removal of trees in an area is undertaken without any control or management plans that would ensure the natural state of the area is maintained. He says the natural environment is at its most stable state if man does not invade the area for development activities.
"Once a number of trees are removed, this will surely result in some soil erosion and the consequential siltation of nearby natural waterways. Some causes of deforestation include uncontrolled logging practices, encroachment of development into rural and forested areas and infrastructural developments. (Panapasa G., 2008).
These are all man-made disasters which call for our responsibilities to save Mother Nature. We are all accountable in subduing our Mother Nature, thus no one is to be blamed if it take its actions against us. Therefore we should do our part in order to protect and save our environment.
Every one of us has a role to take in protecting the environment. It is not just simply by expressing your concerns but more so we need to take actions. We need to have the desire to save our environment. This desire would be possible and be enacted upon if each of us embodies the Virtue of Human Heartedness.
The man of human-heartedness is one who desiring to sustain himself, sustains others, and desiring to develop himself, develops others; that may be called the way to practice human-heartedness.
In Confucian philosophy, Jen is the central concept. Humanity is the recognizing characteristics of man. It is also the main virtue of Confucian ethics.
The bountiful concept of Jen is clear in the variety of its translation. Benevolence, compassion, goodness, love, human heartedness, humanity, kindness, charity, perfect virtue and man to manness these are the translation of Jen. Jen has two composite of characters. Jen mean “man” and erh mean ‘two”. So, Jen has come to understand the virtue governing the relationship of man and fellowman.
In layman’s term, Jen means love; it is love in the moral sense and is present everywhere, even animals. Che’ng Hao stated. “When you watch the hen protecting her chicks, you behold the nature of Jen. (Hector S. Saringan., C&E Publishing Inc.2011).
Righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and good faith, all of these are jen. An individual must, therefore, understand the core of jen because understanding jen means it has sense of of oneness in all things.
One of the core principles of traditional Chinese culture is that of harmony between humans and nature. Different philosophies all emphasize the political wisdom of a balanced environment. Whether it is the Confucian idea of humans and nature becoming one, the Taoist view of the Tao reflecting nature, or the Buddhist belief that all living things are equal, Chinese philosophy has helped our culture to survive for thousands of years. It can be a powerful weapon in preventing an environmental crisis and building a harmonious society.” (Miller J., 2009).
Jen is the universal virtue that makes distinctions in personal relationship. The man of Jen loves others. A man of Jen extends his loves from those he loves to those he does not love and the man of Jen loves all. Therefore, every human should have a Jen within them in order to help preserve and protect our environment.

III. Conclusion
Human beings are essentially self-interested, they don’t care to others also to our mother nature. Because of this nature of human being, the devastation of our environment is widely unmeasured. But in order for us to save our environment every individual should embodied the virtue of human heartedness which is Jen. This virtue is important in order for us to experience a sense of harmony with all the things. Thus, an individual should understand the word righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and good faith because all of this is Jen. Righteousness means, ability to feel under circumstances what is the right thing to do. Propriety means, openness with one another. Wisdom means, being able to know what is wrong and what is good. And Good faith means, trusting with one another and having faith in God.
So therefore, I conclude that people embodying the virtue of human heartedness should know what is the right thing to do, trusting one another and understand every individual and also the importance of the nature in us. Because understanding the importance of Jen means, being one with all thins, being one with nature.

References:
- Attenborough D. (2014). Best quotation about environment. Retrieve from http.http://favimages.net/image/334291/
- Siringan, H. (2011). Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City, Philippines. C & E Publishing, Inc.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (2011). An Introduction into Climate Change. Retrieve from http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climatebasics.asp
- Panapasa G. (2008). The Issue of Deforestation. Retrieve from http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=91348
- Nasome E. (2008). The Issue of Deforestation. Retrieve from http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climatebasics.asp
- Miller J. (2009) . Confucianism saving the planet. Retrieve from http://manyulim.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/confucianism-saving-the-planet.

References: - Attenborough D. (2014). Best quotation about environment. Retrieve from http.http://favimages.net/image/334291/ - Siringan, H. (2011). Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City, Philippines. C & E Publishing, Inc. - Natural Resources Defense Council (2011). An Introduction into Climate Change. Retrieve from http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climatebasics.asp - Panapasa G. (2008). The Issue of Deforestation. Retrieve from http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=91348 - Nasome E. (2008). The Issue of Deforestation. Retrieve from http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/climatebasics.asp - Miller J. (2009) . Confucianism saving the planet. Retrieve from http://manyulim.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/confucianism-saving-the-planet.