Nature
The roots of anthropocentrism can be found in the Judeo-Christian Bible. However, the idea of separation from nature was strongly reinforced by 17th century French philosopher René Descartes’ influential description of nature as a machine. His framing was supported by the ideas of the Scientific Revolution, particularly Isaac Newton’s mechanical depiction of the universe, where everything operated like a giant clockwork apparatus. This understanding of the workings of nature became less popular in the 20th century, particularly following the revolution in physics due to Einstein’s theories of relativity and the advancement of quantum mechanics. However, the machine metaphor remained influential and the instrumental, exploitative relationship with nature endured. 33
