Ecologism - Tenets
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 08-05-13 09:04
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- Ecologism - Tenets
- Ecology
- The eco-system is independent
- Focus on 'humans upsetting the balance of nature'.
- Vast population growth
- Pollution
- Species extinction
- Extensive use of Fossil Fuels
- Reject Anthropocentrism, but differ in extent -- NAESS
- 'Shallow' Ecologism
- Also Environmentalism
- Human-focused: dealing with fossil fuels/global warming so can preserve eco-system for humans in future
- 'Deep' Ecologism
- Focus on animals and encourage biocentric equality
- Decentralise people from sole focus
- 'Shallow' Ecologism
- Holism
- The hole is more important than its parts
- Opposed by SYNEDOCHE where whole is fragmented
- Problem is scientists; Newton etc portray nature as a machine which can be broken, controlled, replaced and repaired by humans via science
- Capra said can only overthrow problem of 'Catesian-Newtonian paradigm by overthrowing the 'Newtonian world-machine'.
- Holism would encourage the study of relationships and inter- connecting features: the whole. (Note SMUTS coined Holism term
- Modern science has brought hope to Capra and other ecologists.
- Einstein's Theory of Relativity and quantum physics recognise that objective knowledge cannot be obtained because the observer interacts with teh observed and changes the result; considers the WHOLE, including the context.
- Eastern religions with their mysticism: oneness of all things and compassion for natural world (taoism)
- Paganism: mother earth (all things alive) and Lovelock's 'Gaia hypothesis' - earth is best understood as a living entity that acts to maintain its own existence
- Though Lovelock contradicts by supporting nuclear power in providing sollution to nvironmental crisis
- Those who harm Gai will harm themselves - must protect earth
- Christianity and Jeudaism etc have humans less superior to God
- DICHOTOMy shallow look to benefit human species but deeps never sacrifice Earth to protect human
- Sustainability
- Criticise 'grey parties' because they assume world is constant;resources won't run out'
- Boulding's 'spaceship earth' and 'cowboy economy' attitude
- 'Spaceship Earth' treats Earth as enclosed spaceship with open/closed system (resources)
- 'Cowboy Economy ' is 'reckless, exploitative and violent behaviour' of human assumption
- Schumacher stresses energy crisis as eg of 'entropy' (decay) from closed systems: Earth bringing demise because expending finite resources and treating energy as exhaustible income
- Solutions includes setting clear limits on human ambitions to stop damage to ecosystem - wind/solar/wave energy, which is 'income' rather than ' natural capital' (won't run out)
- Schumacher's 'Buddhist Economics' is solution to make people reject personality 'utlity maximisers' and instead embrace 'right livelihood'.
- Overcome 'ego-centredness' and focuses us on social bonds and benefits over material wealth obsession
- Dichotomy between shallow/deep - latter (Fundis in Germany) have no tolerance of growth and construction whereas lights (Realos) look to sustainable growth - middle-ground
- Environmental Ethics
- Ethical concerns on need to think of future where we won't be, and how far consider human being needs?
- Most say must adopt 'fuiturity' principle, where consider future generations
- Conservative ecologists: 'selling the family silver' and continuing tradition
- Ecosocialists compassion and support for others is fundamental regardless of time, gender etc.
- SInger: altruism-based thoughts. Criticise speciesism
- Criticisms of his theory as does not extend to non-sentient beings, like rocks, plants etc.
- Nature has an 'intrinsic' value, so it is a being within its own right - criticise Singer because his views are still human-based (sentience is human)
- Goodin's 'green theory of value' - resources valued b/c from nature not ppl
- Criticised by deeper ecols - should be valued b/c is larger than humans
- Goodin's 'green theory of value' - resources valued b/c from nature not ppl
- 'Biocentric equality' - organisms and entities are of equal moral worth
- supported by Naess with 'equal right to live and bloom' - benefits health and stability of ecological community
- Self-Actualisation
- personal fulfillment brought about by appreciating notions beyond material gain and egoism
- reject human self-interest to = balance with nature
- Maslow's 'hierarchy of needs' - can only focus on world peace, harmony etc if materially happy and prosperous
- We are too knowledge-obsessed and so reject 'being' in favour of 'having' (Fromm)
- DICHOTOMY:shallows are nervous that extreme shift = religious mysticism; they have realism.
- Deeps believe in necessity of entirely different world view - acknowledge spiritual nature of views but say being close to nature is also a 'human experience where ppl develop towards "environmental consciousness"and the "ecological self"'
- Ecology
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