The Metaphysical Implications of Ecology

"Ecology has made plain to us the fact that we are enfolded, involved, and engaged within the living, terrestrial, environment- i.e., implicated in and implied by it." According to Baird Callicott, we humans are taking in nature and nature is taking in us. This is due to the energy flow within the environment. Callicott dances around this idea and doesn't give us his realization until he describes his own self-discovery while standing beside the Mississippi river. Before his "self-discovery" near the end of his essay, it took a lot to put together the pieces he was leading the reader to. He of course often referred to many other philosophers or environmentalists who all tie in together with this idea that humans and nature are apart of another. Section two of his essay he brings forth the metaphysical implications of ecology through a foil. Why would it be necessary to use such a device? I like how he bases his argument off of the atom; the most basic unit of matter and what makes up everything on the planet. I never thought of an atom being mechanical and I don't quite follow why Callicott adds this to his essay? Maybe someone can help me understand the motive behind this statement. Plato's theory of forms was a new concept to me and I found myself agreeing with Plato and then Aristotle had to take it up a notch with his own theory. Who do you think has more of the right idea and why would Callicott put two opposing arguments in his essay? I'm not sure which one is supposed to be supporting it but I think he was going for Aristotle's. One more interesting food for thought idea was of course the food chain. I knew it was important but I didn't know that it was important enough to suggest that humans and animals are also connected in linear lines of energy that happen to cross each other. And this also brings up the concept of karma. Do you think that's a little of a stretch? I find it believably but Callicott could just be throwing us through a loop like all great philosophers. His essay ends on a personal note to his audience. The river's pain was his pain. It would sound absurd if he began his essay with this notion but he waited until the last moment to throw in his personal experience. I believe it puts emphasis on the crisis in this new day and age, and that young people need to take action. Trash flowing down the Mississippi River is not okay. It isn't healthy for it nor is it healthy for us. Thanks for reading! I've never done anything like this so I hope this was okay!