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Environmental Ethics. Starter – What do you think?. An number of statements will appear on the board about environmental ethics. You need to decide what you think. If you agree with them hold up your green card. Disagree hold up your red card. If you are unsure hold up your amber card.
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Starter – What do you think? • An number of statements will appear on the board about environmental ethics. You need to decide what you think. • If you agree with them hold up your green card. • Disagree hold up your red card. • If you are unsure hold up your amber card.
Should we continue to cut down the rain forest for the sake of human consumption?
Should we continue to manufacture petrol driven cars when we have the technology to make cars which do not pollute the environment?
Should humans be forced to live a simpler lifestyle in order to protect and preserve the environment?
Environmental ethics • Conservationism(shallow ecology) the theory that the environment’s importance is related to its usefulness to humanity • Instrumental value belief that something is only valuable because of its importance to something else • Anthropocentric belief that humanity is central and more inportant • Intrinsic value belief that something is valuable in itself
Conservationism/Shallow ecology • This theory looks at value that environment has to us as humans and how its welfare will affect us. (reducing/reusing/recycle in order for humanity to survive is conservationism) • Plants and animals have instrumental value so their usefulness only lies in usefulness to humanity. Means to an end. If what it produces has importance for humans it must be protected and preserved. • It is a shallow ecology approach and is anthropocentric. Humans have intrinsic value and their interests should be protected at the expense of other non-human entities. This approach also believes that only humans have true moral worth and standing.
Conservationism • Michael La Bossiere (1966- ) suggest that anthropocentric approach can be justified as part of the natural order of evolution. I.E If an animal becomes extinct due to human activities, this can be deemed as nature taking its course. La Bossiere is not suggesting that humans should try and wipe out specific species, however, if it becomes extinct naturally as a consequence of humanity’s actions, this is acceptable.
Conservationism • Problems arise as humans desire to advance technologically. If nuclear power possibly the solution to our energy needs disasters such as Chernobyl (meltdown 1986 immense impact on surrounding environment and people) need to be taken into account. The impact of the disaster on non-human entities could have an important impact on human prosperity in the future. So, according to the climate change environmental lobby, people need to become more environmentally aware and responsible.
Libertarianism Libertarianism/deep ecology the belief that all life forms have intrinsic value Speciesistdiscrimination in favour of one species, usually the human species, over another Ecosophythe idea that all living things, whether humans, animals or plants, have rights
LIBERTARIAN EXTENSION – DEEP ECOLOGY Started in 1949, Aldo Leopold’s ‘Sand County Almanac’. Was a mixture of natural history and philosophy. Called for a new approach to the environment. “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the bionic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise”. Leopold said it was wrong to see the world in terms of its economic worth to humans. We need to think about our relationship with the land, animals and plants.
AARNE NAESS’ INPUT 1973 – ‘The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement’. There are 2 ecology movements: Concerned with pollution, depletion of natural resources, and usefulness of Earth for humans. Concerned with the richness, diversity and intrinsic value of all the natural world (deep ecology).
NAESS... The intrinsic value and inherent worth of the environment is important. Every being, whether human, animal or vegetable, has an equal right to live and blossom = ECOSOPHY. “By an Ecosophy I mean a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium”. Definition = literally means ‘ecological philosophy’. It refers to philosophies which have an ecocentric or biocentric perspective such as deep ecology.
NAESS... Didn’t agree that humans were more important because they have a soul. Nature does not exist to serve humans. This requires a change in how humans relate to the natural world. Thinks the Christian view on stewardship is arrogant.
NAESS & SESSIONS... Naess joined forces with the American philosopher George Sessions. They listed an eight-fold deep ecology platform: All life has value, independently of its usefulness to humans. Richness and diversity contribute to life’s well being. Humans have no right to reduce this richness. The impact of humans in the world is excessive and is getting worse. Humans lifestyles and population are key to this impact. The diversity of life can only flourish with reduced human impact. Basic ideological, political, economic and technological structures must change. If you agree with these points then you have an obligation to implement changes, and do so peacefully and democratically.
NAESS’ CONCLUSION... Humans should: Radically reduce the Earth’s population. Abandon all goals of economic growth. Conserve diversity of species. Live in small, self-reliant communities. “Touch the Earth lightly”.
THINK ABOUT IT... Put this theory into practice. What evidence can you see in the world around you that would support Naess’ observations? What would need to happen in the UK if we were to put Naess’ theory into practice? What would the global implications be?
Dominion • The bible is not always clear about what human responsibility towards the environment should be . Humankind is given dominion because humans are created in the image of God and have a special relationship with him. • Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that have moved along the ground. Genesis 1:28
The extract suggest a very anthropocentric approach (belief that humanity is central and more important) and one that has its roots in the teaching of Aristotle: • She (nature) has made all animals for the sake of man. Aristotle, Politics. • The idea of dominion presented here seems to have negative ideas behind it – ideas of domination and force. However, it seems that this usage is more about putting humankind at the top of the hierarchy of life on the planet. • The biblical story of creation offers a different interpretation of the word dominion. When God creates the things, he says that they are ‘good’, and to all of creation he says ‘be fruitful and multiply’. This wording would seem to suggest that it isn’t just humanity that God is concerned with, but rather that all creation has an intrinsic value. This reading of the creation story is difficult to reconcile with the traditional idea.
Stewardship • The idea of stewardship is one that seems to bring a sense of responsibility without the ideal of domination. • In the second creation story the emphasis is upon protecting and preserving God’s creation. The analogy of being caretakers of the plant is made; it suggests that we are merely caring for the planet on behalf of the owner, God the creator. • Humankind is responsible for the use of the earth. The parable of the Talents Mt25:14-30 • Christians believe that they are the pinnacle of God’s creation, with the ability to reason and to be moral. Therefore they have a duty to be: • Courteous, tolerant, humble just and in awe of the creation that God has entrusted to us. Adolpho Masteranti
Creation Spirituality • St Francis of Assisi believed that God can be seen and found in all creation. Animals and birds convey to us the understanding of God’s purpose and plan; to destroy or harm them is a sin as God entrusted their well-being to us. • His approach was one that is viewed as a form of creation spirituality similar to other Christian mystical writers, like Mother Julian of Norwich. • This has been compared to the Gaia approach – humanity is part of the whole of creation rather than separate to it.
Consequences of Sin • Roman Catholics believe that the original sin that humans committed has had a negative effect on the relationship between God and humankind, as well as human’s attitude towards the environment. • As a consequence of disobedience in the Garden of Eden, humans have neglected their responsibility and ownership of the environment and this has therefore damaged their relationship with God. • To rectify the situation a return to the principles of stewardship is vital.
