The relation between human beings and nature is basically technical. Humans are compelled to transform the natural conditions of life through their labor, using technical equipment. Thus – and this is a specifically human characteristic – they set themselves apart from their natural surroundings. As a result of the same process, untouched nature exists no more. Therefore it is not a matter of how to absolutely preserve parts of nature from technical alteration, but rather a question of what the dominant (...) ends are in the technical development of modern society and whether these ends are reasonable or not. The ideas of Karl, Hegel and Marx concerning the connection between society and its ends will be discussed. The resulting combination of technical and moral moments, rather than an external ethical view, includes the proposal to revisit the concept of education and research. (shrink)