ABSTRACT
The notion of environment is not necessarily restricted to the external world. In this chapter, therefore, we focus on the idea of our bodies as an internal environment. The principles of environmental reason and environmental ethics, as discussed in Chapter 3, apply in this dimension as they do in the wider concept of environment. However, in this case, individuals have more potential for direct control over their health patterns through lifestyle choices than they do over wider environmental issues (though it should be acknowledged that this potential for control is limited under conditions of poverty). Choices of lifestyle can have direct impact on health, hence the importance of understanding about healthy functioning of the body and problems of ill-health. Scientific understanding of how our bodies work can inform these choices, while the application of ethics is primarily through care of ourselves. Taking care of our bodies by activities which promote health is the area where we may exert the most direct influence on the quality of our lives, hence it is a particularly important area for children to learn about.
