本文嘗試從哲學家Holmes Rolston Ⅲ的生態哲學談起,論證Rolston奠基於「荒野」概念的生態哲學觀點與美洲地景的密切在地關聯性。另外,筆者指出Rolston在其生態觀中也充分闡釋其「荒野」觀點與基督教起源之希伯來文化之間的關聯性。不管是迥異於歐洲的美洲地景所發展出來的「荒野」哲學,或是聯繫到基督教的希伯來文化內涵中的「荒野」(wilderness),Rolston都精確地掌握了其生態觀的發展與在地性的緊密關聯性,同時也展現了其與在地生態知識議題間的親近性。值得注意的是,這樣不同在地性,如:美洲地景與希伯來文化在Rolston的「荒野」哲學中,卻辯證性地發展出具有全球性(以地球為家)普世關懷的基督教生態觀點。本文的另一個論述主軸為在地性的重要關聯性,必須指出的是對於在地性的指稱背後的意涵並非與全球性對立,而是一種辯證的關聯性,例如英國的自然史傳統與生態科學的關係,一方面是重視地方感的傳統,另一方面則是對於普遍科學原則的追尋。換句話說,在地的生態觀雖然反映出一種在地性,但也可能產生一種跨越地域的全球性關照。因此,在某個意義上,Rolston所闡釋的基督教式的「荒野」哲學有其強烈的在地性元素,但卻又不受限於某個特定的地域。或許,在此我們找到了基督教與在地住民生態知識可以持續對話的一些線索。
Inspired by the ecological philosophy of Holmes Rolston Ⅲ, this paper argues that there exists a strong correlation between Rolston's conception of wilderness and his living landscapes of America. Besides this, his wilderness philosophy also shows a close link with the ecological thinking of Hebrew culture within Christianity. Thus, no matter whether from the American wilderness philosophy or wilderness in the Hebrew culture of Christianity, Rolston eloquently develops his ecological thinking related to the localities he is close to. It is also worth noting that these different localities in his wilderness philosophy come together as a global ecological concern based on Christianity. His achievement by bringing the local into a global concern from an ecological philosophical perspective indicates the relation between the local and the global is dialectical rather than opposed. A good example is from the tradition of British natural history which provides local knowledge with strong sense of place, but then becomes a strong base for later development of ecological science that claims a global perspective. In a similar vein, this paper argues that Rolston's ecological philosophy also provides a good case to show that local ecological knowledge like the conceptions of wilderness in American and Hebrew cultures can provide rich contextual sources for reflecting on the universal doctrine within Christianity. Vice versa, some global ecological perspectives like the ”caring for the earth” metaphor shown by Christianity can also act as a framework for seeking the commonality of the different forms of local knowledge.