INTERPRETING HUMAN'S PLACE IN NATURE

Abstract

The main scope of this article is to discuss the human-nature relationship and
the influence of outdoor learning on this relation. Nature is conceived in today's
society as opposition of culture and as have shown researchers people don't see
themselves as a part of the nature when they have to define nature. As a result of the
propaganda of different green movements and the instructions from teachers and
forest guards, youngsters consider the right behaviour in the forests as follows - no
walking on the grass and off the official forest paths, no picking flowers etc. They
consider environmental protection very important, but at the same time they are not
sure what it is. There is a gap between knowledge and action.
The rules that forbid free exploring in the wilderness are reinforcing the
alienation from nature. As a result of alienation children don't have a clue how and
what the things that surround them are made of and where do they come from have
shown several sociological studies made in Germany by natural sociologists. One
interesting result of these studies is the fact that children who spend more time outside
have similar idea of nature as have the others who have had less personal contact with
nature. This shows that alienation from nature exist also on theoretical level as a
product of nowadays society. The article argues that it is important to start
considering man as a sign that is a part of larger web of signs - the semiobiosphere as
believed Mikhail Bachtin and Charles Sanders Peirce.