ENVIRONMENTA

L ETHICS
BIO 4114 – HUMAN ECOLOGY
 OUTLINE
▪ What is environmental ethics?

▪ Environmental issues / damage

▪ Environmental ethics principles

▪ Different environmental ethics philosophies

 WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICS?
▪ Environmental ethics is a branch of applied philosophy that studies the conceptual
foundations of environmental values as well as more concrete issues surrounding societal
attitudes, actions, and policies to protect and sustain biodiversity and ecological systems.
▪ At its core, environmental ethics can be defined as the philosophic study that examines
the ethical relationship of humans and the environment.
▪ While the discipline of environmental ethics examines the ethical obligations humans have
to Earth, human values also play an important role.
▪ Environmental ethics is an integral part of the environment studies as it establishes
relationship between the earth and humans and it makes sure that we are doing our part
to protect the environment and keep it safe.
▪ Environmental ethics is therefore the study of ethical questions raised by human
relations with the nonhuman environment.
 WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL
▪ The
ETHICS?
moral relationship of human Why need to study Environmental Ethics?
beings to and the value and moral
status of the environment and its ▪ To overcome the following
nonhuman content. questions.

▪ The study of the ethical basis of ▪ 1. What are the environment

environment or discussion of the damage produce by the
ethical basis of environmental present generation?
protection.

▪ 2. What acts must be give up to

slow such damage?
IMPORTANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
▪ Makes us aware of the indiscriminate and destructive human activities

▪ Inculcate moral values towards nature and learn to respect various life forms
through environmental ethics

▪ Concerned with the issues of responsible personal conduct with respect to natural
landscape , resources, species, and nonhuman organisms

▪ Conduct with respect to person is, of course, the direct concern of modern
philosophy.
 ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
▪ Pollution:

▪ Air pollution

▪ Water pollution

▪ Land pollution

▪ Resource depletion:

▪ Depletion of Species & Habits

▪ Depletion of Fossil fuels etc

 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
PRINCIPLES
▪ We should have profound respect for nature.

▪ We must maintain a harmonious relation with other species.

▪ Everyone should take responsibility for this impact on nature.

▪ Local & indigenous environmental knowledge should be respected.

▪ We must plan for the long term

 OBJECTIVES OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
▪ Understand the concept of basic and non-basic rights, morals, deontological and
teleological ethical perspective.
▪ Understand the impact of different cultural value systems on relationship of humans
with environment
▪ Objectively analyze environmental problem and compare it with different contrast
of ‘world’s view’ prevailing ‘western view’s’ of environment.
▪ Develop informed ,objective, perspective and judgment on environmental issues.
▪ Articulate responsibilities to human regarding global posterity.
▪ Distinguish and apply the concept of economic , instrumental, intrinsic and
inherent values as applied to ethical judgment regarding environment.
▪ Comprehend the connections and interrelatedness among all beings ,human and
non-human , life and the globe upon which all dwell .
▪ Distinguish between and apply concepts of anthropocentrism, biocentrism and
holism towards the solution of environmental issues.
 OBJECTIVES OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
▪ Understand the difference between objective and subjective realities and the
magnitude and nature of impact.

▪ Develop original and sustaining attitude and guidelines which enhances healthy
global future.

▪ Read and comprehend academic and professional literature on the subjects of

environmental ethics and philosophy.

▪ Understand and discuss how the “western mind” think and to be with regards to
nature and environment.
 ETHICAL VALUES FOR
THE ETHICAL VALUES FOR CONSERVING DEPLETABLE
POLLUTION CONTROL RESOURCES
▪ We should recognize our moral duty to ▪ Proper utilisation of resources i.e. the
protect the welfare not only human people should maintain ecological
beings, but also of other non- human balance.
parts of this system.

▪ We should adopt voluntary measures

▪ Usefulness of non-human world for to conserve the resources.
human purposes.

▪ If we are to preserve enough scarce

▪ Humans have no rights to reduce this resources, so that future generation can
richness & diversity expect to satisfy maintain their quality of life at a
vital needs. satisfactory level.

▪ The ideological changes is mainly that

of appreciating life quality, rather than
to increase higher standard of living.
 MORAL AGENTS MORAL
▪ Those who have the freedom and
STANDING:
▪ If you have moral standing:
rational capacity to be responsible for
choices
▪ Your continued existence or welfare is
valuable in itself (intrinsic value)
▪ Those capable of moral reflection and
decision.
▪ Your interests and well- being must be
weighed when deciding what is
▪ Example: adult humans of sound mind permissible to do. ▫ Example: humans
of all kinds

▪ Infants and mentally infirm adults are

NOT moral agents ▪ Babies, children, adults, old people,
etc.

▪ Women, different races, different

cultures
 MORAL PHILOSOPHICA
DUTIES L ISSUE
▪ That which is owed by moral agents to ▪ Who or what has moral standing, and
those with moral standing. why?

▪ Example: It is wrong to kill our ▪ Does the environment have moral

children because we have a moral standing?
duty toward them

▪ Must 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.
 IDEAS ON CRITERIA FOR MORAL
STANDING
▪ The ability to feel pain ▪ Being part of nature
▪ Therefore extend moral
standing to animals ▪ Therefore extend moral standing to
the
▪ earth
▪ Being alive
▪ ecosystems
▪ Therefore extend moral
standing to animals and ▪ rocks
plants: ▪ rivers
▪ plants animals
▪ All living things.
▪ the entire natural world
 VARIOUS WORLD VIEWS AND ETHICAL
PERSPECTIVES PHILOSOPHY ANTHROPOCENTRIC
STEWARDSHIP
Anthropocentrism We can best protect nature by looking out for human needs.

Stewardship A sense of responsibility to manage and care for the

environment
Moral Responsibility Moral responsibility is nothing more than our capacity to be
human and being able to take care of everything around us.
Criteria of Moral Responsibility
•The person has knowledge of the consequences of the act
•The person has the capacity to do the act.
•The person has the choice to do it.
Man has moral responsibility towards nature
•We know that we can cause permanent damage to natural
landscapes, resources and ecosystems
•We know that we can cause them
•We know how we can prevent or remedy them
 • VARIOUS WORLD VIEWS AND ETHICAL
PERSPECTIVES PHILOSOPHY
ANTHROPOCENTRIC STEWARDSHIP
Biocentric Life-centered • All and only living beings, specifically individual organisms
morality 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 minimize harm and interference with
nature: eat vegetarian since less land needs to be
cultivated.
Eco-centric Holism Ecosystem centered morality
•Non-individuals (the earth as an interconnected ecosystem,
species, natural processes) have moral standing or intrinsic
value and are deserving of respect.
•Individuals must be concerned about the whole community of
life/nature,
•Humans should strive to preserve ecological balance and
stability.
 VARIOUS WORLD VIEWS AND ETHICAL
PERSPECTIVES PHILOSOPHY ANTHROPOCENTRIC
Eco-feminism
STEWARDSHIP
• Rejects Patriarchal Dualisms
• The domination of nature by men is wrong
• Is similar to and related to the domination of women by
men.
• Must break the pattern of "power over" relationships
• Will benefit both women and the natural world. Acid
attack victims
Eco-centric Holism Ecosystem centered morality
•Non-individuals (the earth as an interconnected
ecosystem, species, natural processes) have moral
standing or intrinsic value and are deserving of respect.
•Individuals must be concerned about the whole
community of life/nature,
•Humans should strive to preserve ecological balance and
stability.
VARIOUS WORLD VIEWS AND ETHICAL
PHILOSOPHIES
 DIFFERENT FOCI OF
▪
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Anthropocentric:
▪ Human centered
▪ The environment has value only for what it can provide for us
▪ The environment has value because it helps people to reach some end
▪ Food, Shelter, Clothing, Medicine, Entertainment

▪ Ecosystem Services: Ecosystem Services are the processes by which the environment
produces resources that we often take for granted such as clean water, timber, and
habitat for fisheries, and pollination of native and agricultural plants.
▪ Frontier Ethic: A frontier ethic assumes that the earth has an unlimited supply of
resources.
▪ If resources run out in one area, more can be found elsewhere or alternatively human
ingenuity will find substitutes.
▪ This attitude sees humans as masters who manage the planet.

▪ Judeo-Christian Ethic: God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and
subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and
over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
 DIFFERENT FOCI OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
▪ Stewardship Ethic

▪ The Stewardship Ethic claims that because they have superior

intellect, it is ethically correct that humans act as stewards of the land.

▪ OK, to use earth to provide our needs, but we need to do so in a

sustainable manner.

▪ Sustainability Ethic
 DIFFERENT FOCI OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
▪ Biocentric ethic: views all life as possessing intrinsic value.
▪ Intrinsic value: Aspects of the environment have inherent value just because
they exist

▪ Biocentric Ethic:
▪ An individualistic biocentric ethic recognizes intrinsic value in every
living thing
▪ A holistic biocentric ethic recognizes species or aggregates of living
things and species are not living, so some argue that it is not possible to
have holistic approach because “species” are not living
▪ Biocentric Ethic:
▪ An egalitarian biocentric ethic accords equal value to all living things
▪ A nonegalitarian biocentric ethic would give greater value to certain living
things over others.
 DIFFERENT FOCI OF
▪ Ecocentric
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
ethic: All aspects of the environment, both living and
non-living, have inherent value
▪ Land Ethic: Developed by American Aldo Leopold 1939
▪ Leopold thought that ethics direct individuals to cooperate with each other
for the mutual benefit of all.
▪ He argued that this ‘community’ should be enlarged to include
non-human elements such as soils, waters, plants, and animals, “or
collectively: the land”.

▪ Leopold Quotes: “That land is a community is the basic concept of

ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of
ethics.”
▪ “A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and
this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health
of land.”