Environmental Ethics and Philosophy Chapter 2

Outline: Introduction Ethical Principles Values, Rights and Obligations Worldviews Environmental Justice Science and the Scientific Method Technology

INTRODUCTION Ethics is a branch of: Morals: Distinction between right and wrong Values: Ultimate worth of actions or things Environmental ethics deals with the moral relationships between humans and the surrounding world.

Ethical Principles Universalists - Assert fundamental principles of ethics are universal, unchanging, and eternal. Relativists - Claim moral principles are always relative to a particular person, society, or situation.

Ethical Principles Nihilists - Claim morality is arbitrary thus there is no reason to behave morally. Utilitarians - Believe an action is right that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Modernism and Postmodernism Most of modern, Western worldview is based on Enlightenment period. Inevitable outcome of an understanding of the world would be moral progress and universal justice. Experiences of the 20th century have led to a cultural despair. From a postmodern perspective, our perception of nature is an ever-shifting, arbitrary social construction.

Values, Rights, and Obligations Moral Agents - Beings capable of acting morally or immorally, and who can accept responsibility for their acts. Humans Moral Subjects - Beings who are not moral agents, but who have moral interests and can be treated rightly or wrongly. Children Moral Extensionism - Widening definition of who is considered ethically significant. Animal Rights

Intrinsic and Instrumental Value Intrinsic (Inherent - Innate) - Worth or value simply because of existence. Humans Instrumental (Conferred) - Worth or value only because they are valued by someone who matters. Tools

WORLDVIEWS Anthropocentric - Human-centered. Genesis 1:28 Stewardship - Custodian of resources. Indigenous peoples Biocentricism - All living things have intrinsic value. Ecocentricism - Whole is more important than the parts.

Ecofeminism Ecofeminists argue most philosophers came from a patriarchal system based on domination and duality. Contend domination, exploitation, and mistreatment of women, children, minorities, and nature are intimately connected and mutually reinforcing.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Environmental Justice combines civil rights and environmental protection to demand a safe, healthy environment for all people. People of color around the world are subjected to a disproportionately high level of environmental health risks.

Environmental Justice Toxic Colonialism - Targeting poor communities of color in poor areas / countries for waste disposal and / or experimentation. Native American Reservations Moving operations to countries where environmental regulations are lax.

SCIENCE Science - Provides an orderly, methodical approach to investigating phenomena while suggesting testable explanations for those phenomena. Assumes the world is knowable, and that systematic investigations can yield meaningful insights. Parsimony - When two competing explanations appear equally plausible, accept the simpler one.

Science Deductive Reasoning - Starts with a general principle and proceeds to a specific case. Inductive Reasoning - General principles are inferred from examination of specific cases.

Scientific Theory

Hypothesis vs. Theory Hypothesis - A provisional explanation that can be falsified by further investigation. When tests support hypothesis, it is only considered provisionally true. Scientific Theory - Hypothesis supported by multiple experiments and a majority of experts. Not casual everyday “theory”

Descriptive vs. Interpretative Science Interpretative - Ideas and explanations tested indirectly by looking at historical evidence or natural experiments. Descriptive - In some cases it is impossible or unethical to perform deliberate experiments on organisms or environments, thus simply describing the ecology can be valuable.

Paradigms Most research is based on commonly shared paradigms - models that provide a framework for interpreting results. Eventually, anomalies and contradictions of paradigms arise and build. Typically new generations of scholars challenge old paradigms and formulate new Hypotheses and Theories leading to new Paradigms.

Technology For past two centuries, central tenet of Western culture has been a strong faith in progress. Technology allows mistakes to be made faster and on a larger scale than before. Appropriate Technology - Promotes machines and approaches suitable for local conditions and cultures.

Summary: Introduction Ethical Principles Values, Rights and Obligations Worldviews Environmental Justice Science and the Scientific Method Technology