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Many nonbiblical traditions bring more balance to their view of humans place in the natural order.
And some philosophical strains within Western thought regard our role as one of stewardship rather than ownership. Yet these perspectives are little more than footnotes to the dominant philosophies that have driven economic and political systems in the developed and developing world. So ingrained is our anthropocentrism that we can measure the learning curve for humankind s acceptance of its role in degrading the environment in decades, at best. That pattern applies to nations as much as to individuals. Neither consensus nor candor about implementing reductions in greenhouse gas emissions prevailed at The Hague gathering.