Biology-based mimetic learning as a moral response to environmental challenges

Abstract

.

The anthropogenic nature of global environmental change demands that it is viewed not only as a scientific, technological, and economic issue, but as a philosophical, religious, and ethical one. In this article, we intend to explore Biology-Based Mimetic Ethics (BBME) as a subdiscipline of ethics that seeks to learn, adapt, implement, and evaluate models of response observed in living organisms to help social agents make pro-environmental decisions. Based on this theoretical foundation, we aim to explore the relationship between moral and environmental education by presenting this teaching proposal as an innovative tool for bridging both disciplines, while reframing the global socio-environmental crisis as an ethical and educational one. The proposal rests on two premises. First, it recognizes that nature operates amorally, rendering ethological value judgments inappropriate. Second, it emphasizes, nevertheless, that any insight derived from a scientific analysis requires rational and ethical scrutiny. Finally, by providing both a theoretical framework and practical examples, this article aims to guide university educators—particularly those working in faith-based institutions—aspiring to develop character-based environmental education programs.