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Secular Approaches to the Environment

Secular Approaches to the Environment. The future for the environment. Attenborough – a temperature rise of between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees in 100 years. Half of all natural species at risk of extinction by 2100

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Secular Approaches to the Environment

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  1. Secular Approaches to the Environment

  2. The future for the environment • Attenborough – a temperature rise of between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees in 100 years. Half of all natural species at risk of extinction by 2100 • Cox – “2 degrees would be a dangerous climate change…. 6 degrees would damage us irreparably. • By 2050 world CO2 emissions set to double. • China grows by 10% per year, but still emits dramatically less CO2 per head. • China builds on average 2 coal power stations every year.

  3. Key terms today • Biodiversity • Conversation • Anthropomorphism • Anthropocentric

  4. Arne Naess • 1912-2009 • Eminent environmental philosopher of the twentieth century. • Heavily influenced by childhood spent on the Norwegian fjords.

  5. Naess: Deep Ecology • Rejects supernatural claims of religion for the spiritual nature of the natural world. • But strongly influenced by Hindu ideas of the soul as part of an eternal soul of all Creation – consequently all living entities have a spiritual reality that merits respect. • The human being is one part of an integrated, mutually dependent ecological structure – ecosophy – true knowledge lies in the harmony of Creation. • An ecocentric view of the environment – equality, priority and rights evenly given to all aspects of nature.

  6. Shallow Ecology • An anthropocentric view of environmentalism: the environment matters because of the effect that it has on human welfare. • Focuses on the idea of conservation and the principle of biodiversity. • Biodiversity not virtuous in itself – instead to the extent that it is useful to humans. • Can lead to a quasi-utilitarian approach to calculating what is and what is not environmentally beneficial for people’s welfare.

  7. Singer’s Shallow Ecology • Interests of all sentient beings should be included in utilitarian calculation. • Plants etc have no intrinsic moral worth. • There may be a case for preserving wilderness, rainforest etc but only if human welfare is maximised by this. • Rather than being just human-centred, he is sentient-being centred!

  8. James Lovelock • Argues that individual things are part of a bigger single entity called Gaia – a spiritual yet physical entity that exists in all things. • As one aspect of the ‘machine’ it is impossible for humans to fully understand their complete role in the world. • A different way of looking at the world – to see the earth as a single, self-regulating organism – changes our perspective on all other aspects of the environment.

  9. Gaia Hypothesis • Gaia defined: “A complex entity involving the Earth's biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and soil; the totality constituting a feedback or cybernetic system which seeks an optimal physical and chemical environment for life on this planet". • Continues a tradition of viewing the earth as a living organism with roots in Plato. • Gaia an anthropomorphic entity – has human characteristics and behaviours. • Weak Gaia theory – rejects the spiritual aspects of Gaia but accepts the scientific principle that all things on earth are interelationship of all things.

  10. An analogy: Daisyworld • "In this world there are white and black daisies. Daisies absorb heat and they flourish in lower temperatures whereas white daisies reflect heat and flourish at higher temperature s. Therefore as the temperature of the world increases more white daisies grow and as they reflect heat thereby lowering the temperature this encourages more black daisies to grow and flourish. But as black daisies increase the temperature that they absorb heat this increase the temperature of the world which encourage the white daisies increase and the black daisies die out. This process carries on without stop and illustrates the world is in a state of equilibrium or homeostasis.

  11. Applying the Gaia Hypothesis • "She is stern and tough, always keeping the world warm and comfortable for those who obey the rules, but ruthless in her destruction of this who transgress. Her unconscious goal is a planet fit for life, if humans stand in the way of this; we shall be eliminated with as little pity as would be shown by the micro-brain of an intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile in full flight to its target.“ • Lovelock’s latest prediction • Human CO2 emissions have pulled the trigger by accident. • The changes are now irreversible. • Mass migrations and huge shortages will occur. • 7/8 of the world’s population will be wiped out.

  12. Application: should we open up National Parks?

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