Alcuni aspetti del rapporto uomo-natura ambiente nel mondo antico

Abstract

This article examines how the relationship between humans, nature, and the environment was conceptualized in ancient thought, with a particular focus on philosophical perspectives on nature, environmental constraints, the role of human techniques, and the status of plants and animals. Far from being purely anthropocentric, ancient philosophy reveals a plurality of views that acknowledge the autonomy and intrinsic finality of all living beings, even while upholding the privileged role of human reason. Through an analysis of thinkers such as Aristotle, Theophrastus, Seneca, Epicurus, and Lucretius, the study highlights how ancient authors critically addressed the limits and possibilities of human control over nature. These reflections anticipate contemporary environmental ethics by emphasizing human responsibility, the cosmic order, and the ambivalent role of technology as a fallible imitation of nature.