Whi invented the term Ecology?

Before beginning my research on ancient environmentalists, I wondered who invented the term Ecology. As you know, I love to research and found out it was in 1866 when German biologist Ernst von Heckel used the term Ecology and wrote it in the book  Generelle Morphologie der Organismen. He applied the term ontologies to the "relation of the animal both to its organic as well as its inorganic environment." The word comes from the Greek oikos, meaning "household," "home," or "place to live.", as stated in the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Even so, Heckel isn't considered the "father" of the science of ecology, as after him, many scientists have expressed scattered opinions about the balance of the ecosystem and the relationship of the human race with it. Charles Darwin, Eugene Warmin, Charles Linnaeus, and Heinrich Muller are, to date, considered together with von Heckel as the theoretical pioneers of the Ecology movement.

Having read this, two questions arose in mind for me:

Can we, however, find out more about these scientist's thoughts in the writings and philosophy of the ancient Greeks?

Can we also recognise the importance of learning from ancient people's coexistence with the environment in the daily lives of our ancestors?

I was thinking about the ancient Greeks as I wondered if religion and philosophy played their part in people or their followers finding connections between life and our plants and sustenance, thus natural environmentalists. So, of course, I did some research last night when I got in and flipped through some pages and found this quote by Donald Hughes, who wrote.

"Philosophers' thinking is a major contribution to environmental education...... With this thinking begins ecological science and environmental ethics." This quote by Donald Hughes underscores the significant role of philosophical thinking in shaping our understanding of the environment, a perspective that can be traced back to the ancient Greeks.

Quite a mouthful, so I decided to look at the other side of the coin and turned to the Bible. After much keyword reading, I found this verse from Genesis 2:15

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to serve it and to guard and protect it." This verse from Genesis 2:15 highlights the early recognition of the importance of environmental stewardship, a concept that has been echoed in various cultures and philosophies throughout history.

In the field of philosophy, the writings of Greek philosophers "about nature" recognise the basic principle of unity of nature, the influence of nature on human behaviour, and the assumption of natural harmony as a measure of human society.

Hippocrates' works demonstrate the effect of the environment on health and on people's character and creativity.

The position of ecology in the economic thinking of ancient Greeks is remarkable. Sustainable economic development was thought out during ancient times. In the financial writings of Xenophon and Aristotle, they strongly emphasise the avoidance of excessive production of goods, leading to unnecessary enrichment, generosity, waste of resources, exploitation of people, and, ultimately, a distortion of human character.

So why didn't we listen back then, or more importantly, today?

The Greek historian Herodotus was the first to observe the behaviour of animals in their natural environment, and the philosopher Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle who wrote the History of Plants and the Plant Causes, was very concerned with the ecology of the landscape. According to Theophrastus, there is a harmonious relationship between the plant and the landscape. He wrote that plants in their 'intimate place', a term he used to describe the ideal environmental conditions for a particular plant species, always grow better.

Plato even wrote in Timaeus in c.360 BC:

"Indeed, the world has been built to give itself to itself to feed what he is destroying himself."

When I read this, I thought Plato was referring to the natural deterioration of the ecosystem, yet he understood that the earth regenerates itself over time.

In his work on Gases, Waters, and Places, Greek physician Hippocrates found that people's health, mood, and creativity are shaped by their natural environment and factors such as drinking water quality, nutrition, and climate.

Many deities have a direct connection to the natural environment and its protection, such as Gaia, Demetra, Artemis, Persephone, Rea-Kyveli, Dionysus, Panas and the Nymphs of the forests, Naïades for the waters, and the Orestians for the mountains. Still, many rivers had acquired divine dimensions, causing the inhabitants around them to worship and respect them.

In many parts of ancient civilisations, there were many festivals dedicated exclusively to worshipping nature and changing seasons. A common practice was to ban logging, fishing, and hunting in and around holy places such as groves, temples, fountains, and altars, as the divinity that lived in the place also existed in all the elements of its natural environment.

We can reflect on the ancient ecologists and look deeper into their philosophical thinking. They understood what the natural order means, and all that is given to us naturally comes from the elements; nothing is wasted.

Bibliography

Critchley P., The Ecological Inheritance of Ancient Greece, private publication, United Kingdom, 2004

Hughes JD, Theophrastus as Ecologist, at Environmental Review, vol.9, 1985

Hughes JD, What is Environmental History, John Wiley and Sons publication, United States of America, 2008

Aeschylus, Persians, Zitroos, Athens, 2005

Valler E. - Korma M., Environment and Antiquity, in the journal Archeology and the Arts, issue 35

Editing: Guta A., Ancient Greeks and the Environment - Laws, Myths and Ecological "Sensitives" Thousands of Years, in Technogrofema, issue 377, June 2009

Herodotus, Herodotus Historias, Efterpi, Thalia, Pataki Publications, Athens, 1998

Keselos, True Word Against Christians, Thraatten publications, Athens, 1996

Kountouri N., The Ecology in Ancient Greece, in the newspaper Dryas, leaf 53, October 2002

Edited by: Manolaz E., The Natural Environment in Ancient Greece, Issued by the Department of Forestry and Management of Environment and Natural Resources of the Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, 2010

Reportage: Bazou B., The Ecology in Ancient Greece, in the newspaper The Mountai, in the insert The Green Mouse, Issue 21, June 2011

Plato, Timaeus, Ziros, Athens, 2010