Erazim Kohák’s Justification and Reclamation of Humanity: A Reflection of Man’s Direct Duty to Nature

Abstract

This paper examines Erazim Kohák’s stance in his work A Human’s Place in Nature in The Embers and the Stars, focusing on the justification and reclamation of humanity in the natural world. This inquiry begins by discussing and synthesizing ideas from various philosophers who raise the concern for humans to acknowledge and embody their ability to look back and forward. Such provides a context for Kohák’s idea of the three orders— the order of being, the order of time, and the order of eternity. Then, the paper explores and confronts the problem regarding the duty of humans toward nature. This issue peaked during the history of modern philosophy and persists until contemporary times. This paper employs textual analysis, looks closely at Kohák’s ideas, and argues that his way of bringing humanity back into the natural world shows that we have a direct responsibility to care for nature. The insights from this study add to the ongoing conversation about the moral relationship between people and the environment.