From stewardship to symbiosis: Taoist philosophy, technology and climate change education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Navigating Socio-Cultural Landscapes: Mental Health, Governance, and Philosophy in Education and Development

Proposal

The technological approach has been gaining ground in the issue of climate change in the last decade, suggesting that humanity will ultimately be rescued by a technological solution (Rappleye, Komatsu, & Silova, 2024). However, the overemphasis on science and technology in environmental education has been continually criticised by scholars (Bowers, 2001; Taylor, 2017). One of the main reason is that it tends to normalise the cultural assumptions behind ‘technological solutions’, perpetuating ecologically unsustainable values (Jickling, 2013). There’s no denying that it’s becoming increasingly challenging to imagine a life without technology. Therefore, it is crucial to consider what kind of eco-ethics we should have when using technology.

This paper uses Taoism as a theoretical perspective to explore the new way of applying technology in climate change education. In the unique Taoist cosmology, human is one with all things, which means one’s action should not impose unnecessary constraints on other things in order to dominate them (Lai, 2007). Instead, one should recognize the spontaneity of other beings and act in accordance with them, which in Taoism is called wuwei 無為, a nonassertive action. Therefore, rather than exploring ‘what’ a good human-nature relationship should look like, Taoist philosophy is more interested in guiding us in ‘how’ to live in symbiosis with all things (Zhang, 1995). On this basis, Taoism believes that the rhythm of ziran 自然 should be followed and that technology should be used in the natural state for which it is intended.

Drawing on a case study of a primary school in Shanghai, this study attempts to show how educators use technology in climate change education and how Taoist eco-ethics can be an inspiration for change. I went to the case school to observe classes and interview teachers and other school members. Based on classroom observations and interviews, preliminary analysis illustrates that a small number of climate change education practices that incorporate Taoist thinking already exist in China’s primary schools. This school has developed a ‘Weather Speciality Curriculum’ based on four aspects that are closely related to students’ lives: clothing, food, shelter and transportation. However, in the teaching process, teachers still tend to overstate the role of science and technology, often referring to keywords such as students’ ‘problem solving skills’, ‘scientific literacy’, ‘analytical skills’, etc. This case provides a good space for us to use Taoism to re-imagine the role of technology in climate change education and an educational landscape that promotes ‘symbiosis’.

Author

• Yu Siyuan, Department of Education，East China Normal University