Download Environmental Ethics

Environmental Ethics
Definitions
•Moral Agents
•Those who have the freedom and
rational capacity to be responsible
for choices
•Those capable of moral reflection
and decision.
•Example: adult humans of sound
mind
•Infants and mentally infirm adults
are NOT moral agents
Definitions
•Moral Standing:
If you have moral standing:
•Your continued existence or welfare
is valuable in itself (intrinsic value)
•Your interests and well-being must
be weighed when deciding what is
permissible to do. Example:
humans of all kinds, babies, children,
adults, old people, etc.
•Different races, different cultures
Definitions
•Moral Duties
That which is owed by
moral agents to those with
moral standing.
Example: It is wrong to kill
our children because we
have a moral duty toward
them
Applying this to the environment
•
Who or what has moral standing, and
why?
◦ Does the environment have moral standing?
◦ Look at criteria for moral standing
•
What moral duty do we (moral agents)
have toward those with moral standing?
◦ Different ethical positions suggest different
moral duties.
What has Moral Standing?
•
Being human?
◦ Humans have a soul
◦ Humans are moral agents
 and are responsible for
knowing right from wrong
◦ Humans are intelligent
◦ Humans have personhood
 and self-consciousness
◦ Humans have language
What has Moral Standing?
Sentience?
- Animals have sentience
Therefore moral standing
is extended to animals
What has Moral Standing?
Being alive?
Therefore extend moral
standing to animals and
plants:
all living things.
What has Moral Standing?
Being part of nature?
Therefore we extend moral
standing to:
the earth
Ecosystems
rocks
rivers
plants and animals
the entire natural world
Ethical Positions
Biocentric Individualism: Life-centered
morality
All living beings have intrinsic value
and moral standing.
Humans are not superior to other life
forms nor privileged, and must
respect the inherent worth of every
organism
Humans should minimise harm and
interference with nature: eat
vegetarian since less land needs to
be cultivated.
Ethical Positions
Eco- Holism: ecosystem
centered morality (Gaia)
Everything on earth is
interconnected and so has
moral standing or intrinsic
value.
Individuals must be
concerned about the whole
community of life/nature,
Humans should strive to
preserve ecological balance
and stability.
Other Ideas
Deep Ecology / Deep
Green Ecology
Humans are deeply
connected with nature.
If humans identify with
nature, then taking care of
the natural world will
become part of taking
care of one's self.
Deep Ecology – Deep green
Life has value in itself
independent of its usefulness
to humans.
The impact of humans on the
world is excessive – we are
only one species among many.
We should ‘touch the earth
lightly.’
Deep green – respect but not
reverence for the environment.
Sitting Bull - 1877
“Behold, my brothers, the spring
has come; the earth has received
the embraces of the sun and we
shall soon see the results of that
love!
Every seed has awakened and so
has all animal life.
It is through this mysterious power
that we too have our being and we
therefore yield to our neighbors,
even our animal neighbors, the
same right as ourselves, to inhabit
this land…”
Conservation Ethics
Shallow Ecology
This is a means to an
end – it is beneficial to
humans.
It improves our quality
of life.
Light Green Ecology – it
still aims to preserve the
environment.
Religious Approaches
Creation has value
“God saw that it was
good…”
We are given
dominion over all
creatures …what
does this mean?
Religious Approaches
St Francis of Assisi
God communicates with
us through the natural
world.
The environment is
inherently good, so all
creatures have the ability
to worship God, all are
part of the same creation,
and all have the same
intrinsic value.
Religious Approaches
Stewardship
The world belongs to God, and we
are merely caretakers.
Humans are co-creators with God
and need to use and transform the
world with care.
The Fall made us poor stewards
and we need to make up for past
mistakes.
Religious Approaches
The Rapture and the
End Time
Concern for the
environment is irrelevant
-The destruction of the
environment is to be
welcomed as it is a sign of
the end time and the
Second Coming of Christ.
-Why care about climate
change if you and those
closest to you will be
rescued in the Rapture?
And finally….
Bioregionalism
Lead a simple life with
local production of food
and other products by
people that you know.
Increases environmental
awareness and caring.
Decreases exploitation
of the environment and
people.