Dp clgy s n nvrnmntl phlsphy tht prmts th nhrnt wrth f ll lvng bngs rgrdlss f thr nstrmntl tlty t hmn nds, nd rgs tht mdrn hmn scts shld b rstrctrd n ccrdnc wth sch ds.
Dp clgsts rg tht th ntrl wrld s cmplx f rltnshps n whch th xstnc f rgnsms s dpndnt n th xstnc f thrs wthn csystms. Thy rg tht nn-vtl hmn ntrfrnc wth r dstrctn f th ntrl wrld pss thrt nt nly t hmns, bt t ll rgnsms tht mk p th ntrl rdr.
Dp clgy's cr prncpl s th blf tht th lvng nvrnmnt s whl shld b rspctd nd rgrdd s hvng crtn bsc mrl nd lgl rghts t lv nd flrsh, ndpndnt f ts nstrmntl bnfts fr hmn s. Dp clgy s ftn frmd n trms f th d f mch brdr sclty: t rcgnzs dvrs cmmnts f lf n rth tht r cmpsd nt nly thrgh btc fctrs bt ls, whr pplcbl, thrgh thcl rltns, tht s, th vlng f thr bngs s mr thn jst rsrcs. t s dscrbd s "dp" bcs t s rgrdd s lkng mr dply nt th rlty f hmnty's rltnshp wth th ntrl wrld, rrvng t phlsphclly mr prfnd cnclsns thn ths f mnstrm nvrnmntlsm. Th mvmnt ds nt sbscrb t nthrpcntrc nvrnmntlsm (whch s cncrnd wth cnsrvtn f th nvrnmnt nly fr xplttn by nd fr hmn prpss), snc dp clgy s grndd n dffrnt st f phlsphcl ssmptns. Dp clgy tks hlstc vw f th wrld hmns lv n nd sks t pply t lf th ndrstndng tht th sprt prts f th csystm (ncldng hmns) fnctn s whl. Th phlsphy ddrsss cr prncpls f dffrnt nvrnmntl nd grn mvmnts nd dvcts systm f nvrnmntl thcs dvctng wldrnss prsrvtn, nn-crcv plcs ncrgng hmn ppltn dcln, nmsm nd smpl lvng.