Environmental ethics revision
- Created by: Ellen Hannah
- Created on: 03-05-14 17:24
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- Environmental ethics
- Environmental ethics is concerned with our attitudes towards and impact on the biological and geological dimensions of the planet and humanity.
- Some argue that:
- Earth's systems, which nurture and sustain life, are breaking down
- Natural resources are being depleted unsustainably
- Environmental damage disproportionately affects the poor
- Industrialisation and technological and scientific development have reduced biodiversity
- Others argue that:
- This is a simplified distortion of a far more complex picture
- The situation is improving
- Not running out of energy resources
- Fewer people are starving
- Development protects us from the environment
- An environmental ethic that constrains the development might actually might the situation worse for humans
- Deep ecology:
- Deep ecology = attempt to provide a secular environmental ethics
- LEPOLD - moral community to include soils, waters, plants + animals
- NAESS - deep ecology sought to 'preserve the integrity of the biosphere for its own sake', not for human benefits
- Well-being of human + non-human life on Earth = valued
- Humans can only reduce earths richness +diversity to satisfy vital needs
- SYLVAN + PLUMWOOD - must not 'jeoparduse the well-being of natural objects without good reason
- DEVALL + SESSIONS - 'all organisms +entities ecosophere - part in intrinsic worth'
- NAESS + SESSIONS - flourishing of human + nonhuman lifeforms - value
- LOVELOCK - ecosystem as a whole - moral deliberation
- TAYLOR - respect for every life - pursing its own good in its own unique way
- SINGER - justifiable intrinsic value to sentient life forms (plants) - cannot truly be said to desire to flourish or have experiences
- Christian approaches:
- SINGER argues - Hebrew + Greek traditions leave environment as morally insignificant
- SINGER points to a Judeo-Christian emphasis on human domination of world
- AQUINAS - 'All animals = naturally subject to man'
- Positive view = Christian environmental ethics = theocentric, anthropocentric + geo/biocentric, as creation = g-d made + so = good in itself
- ANDERSON - 'Recognition that nonhuman creatures = intrinsic value = present in Christian tradition'
- Concept = stewardship in Bible means humans = responsible to G-d for use of His world
- Humans = special responsibility to care for it
- Creation = good + = loved for its own sake. Humans = co-creators with G-d but sin distorts the relationship between man + natural world
- Christians relationship with G-d = affected by how they use creation
- SINGER argues - Hebrew + Greek traditions leave environment as morally insignificant
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