Environmental Ethics

Definitions Moral Agents –Those who have the freedom and rational capacity to be responsible for choices –Those capable of moral reflection and decision. –Example: adult humans of sound mind Infants and mentally infirm adults are NOT moral agents

Definitions Moral Standing: –If you have moral standing: Your continued existence or welfare is valuable in itself (intrinsic value) Your interests and well-being must be weighed when deciding what is permissible to do. –Example: humans of all kinds Babies, children, adults, old people, etc. Women, different races, different cultures

Definitions Moral Duties – That which is owed by moral agents to those with moral standing. –Example: It is wrong to kill our children because we have a moral duty toward them

Philosophical Issue Who or what has moral standing, and why? –Does the environment have moral standing? –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. Yosemite National Park

Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing Membership in the species Homo sapiens – Humans have a soul – Humans are moral agents and are responsible for knowing right from wrong – Humans are intelligent – Humans have personhood and self-consciousness – Humans have language

Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing Sentience, the ability to feel pain –Therefore extend moral standing to animals

Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing Being alive –Therefore extend moral standing to animals and plants: –All living things.

Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing Being part of nature –Therefore extend moral standing to the earth ecosystems rocks rivers plants animals the entire natural world

Ethical Positions Anthropocentrism: Human centered morality –Only humans have intrinsic value and moral standing. –The rest of the natural world has instrumental value (use to humans).

Anthropocentrism –We can best protect nature by looking out for human needs. Ex: Ducks Unlimited preserves wetlands Ex: Saving the rainforests will provide O 2 and medicines for humans. –Problem: Would you blow up the world if you were the last human

Ethical Positions Sentio-centrism: Sentient-being centered morality –All and only sentient beings (animals that feel pain) have intrinsic value and moral standing. –The rest of the natural world has instrumental value. –Both humans and sentient animals have rights and/or interests that must be considered

Ethical Positions Biocentric Individualism: Life-centered morality –All and only living beings, specifically individual organisms (not species or ecosystems) 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.

Ethical Positions 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.

Patriarchal Dualisms Greek, Roman, Hebrew: –Humans are separate from and superior to nature –Human, mind, rationality, and man are linked and superior –Nature, body, feelings, and woman are linked, and inferior –Justifies domination by men over Nature Women Aristotle

Ecofeminism 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

Feminism

Deep Ecology Humans are deeply connected with nature. If humans identify with nature, then taking care of the natural world will become part of taking care of one's self.

Sitting Bull, 1877 “Behold, my brothers, the spring has come; the earth has received the embraces of the sun and we shall soon see the results of that love! Every seed has awakened and so has all animal life. It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves, to inhabit this land…

Sitting Bull, 1877 “Yet hear me, my people, we have now to deal with another race - small and feeble when our fathers first met them, but now great and overbearing. Strangely enough they have a mind to till the soil and the love of possessions is a disease with them....

Sitting Bull, 1877 “They claim this mother of ours, the earth, for their own, and fence their neighbors away; they deface her with their buildings and their refuse. They threaten to take [the land] away from us. My brothers, shall we submit, or shall we say to them: "First kill me before you take possession of my Fatherland."

Bioregionalism Lead a simple life with local production of food and other products by people that you know –Increases environmental awareness and caring –decreases exploitation of the environment and people.