ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS A2 Ethics

This week’s aims To apply Utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, Natural Law, Virtue ethics and Conscience to the issues in:  Environmental ethics To evaluate the Gaia Hypothesis To decide which theory has the best approach to the environment

The Last Man After the destruction of (almost) all human life in a global catastrophe – e.g. a nuclear holocaust– one human being alone is left alive. He is the last man; there will not be any more, ever; and he somehow knows this. All the members of other species of sentient creatures have also expired. He has a flame-thrower which is still working, so he spends his last hours or days destroying what he can of the still flourishing plant life. Are the last man’s actions wrong? Booklets, p.39

Are the last man’s actions wrong? YesNo

Environmental Ethics Kant said that we should never treat humanity simply as a means to an end but always as an end in itself  Should we extend this idea to the environment?  In what ways do we use the environment simply as a means to an end?

The Canadian Tar Sands Drilling for oil in areas of natural beauty helps produce petrol and creates many well-paid jobs Is it acceptable to damage the environment and destroy indigenous cultures for these reasons? Arctic, Ep. 4 33:48-59:33

A river tumbles through forested ravines and rocky gorges towards the sea. The state hydro-electricity commission sees the falling water as untapped energy. Building a dam across one of the gorges would provide three years of employment for a thousand people, and longer term employment for twenty or thirty. The dam would store enough water to ensure that the state could economically meet its energy needs for the next decade. This would encourage the establishment of energy-intensive industry, thus further contributing to employment and economic growth. The rough terrain of the river valley makes it accessible only to the reasonably fit, but it is nevertheless a favoured spot for bush-walking. The river itself attracts the more daring white-water rafters. Deep in the sheltered valleys are stands of rare Huon Pine, many of the trees being over a thousand years old. The valleys and gorges are home to many birds and animals, including an endangered species of marsupial mouse that has seldom been found outside the valley. There may be other rare plants and animals as well, but no-one knows, for scientists are yet to investigate the region fully. Should the dam be built? Peter Singer, Practical Ethics

Should the dam be built? What do your thoughts reveal about modern attitudes towards the natural world? Is employment more important than the environment?

Speciesism What qualities / characteristics make a human’s life more valuable than a plant’s life? Give examples of humans who don’t possess these qualities / characteristics:

Paul Taylor Paul Taylor argues that plants are valuable because they are a ‘subject of a life.’ There are things that are in a plant’s interests – e.g. not to be destroyed. This means that their interests should be included in our moral decision-making. If we fail to include plants in our moral decisions we are being prejudiced – favouring our own species, but not for a defensible reason.

The earth has ethical worth, but the human race has no particular ethical significance The earth has ethical worth, but the human race has no particular ethical significance Gaia organises and manages conditions that favour life Gaia organises and manages conditions that favour life Gaia Greek goddess of the earth The planet is like a living being Gaia Greek goddess of the earth The planet is like a living being Life itself cannot be destroyed by global warming – even if human life can be destroyed Life itself cannot be destroyed by global warming – even if human life can be destroyed Humans are part of a living whole – we are not the centre of creation Humans are part of a living whole – we are not the centre of creation Gaia Hypothesis James Lovelock Gaia Hypothesis James Lovelock Booklets, p.38

The Gaia hypothesis  Video  Gaia  Is this theory believable?  Could this be what is happening to the world now, instead of global warming?

Task – 30 minutes ExplanationKey philosophers Arguments forArguments against Conservation ethics Animals / plants have extrinsic, instrumental value Libertarian extension Human rights should be extended to non- human animals Ecological extension The environment as a whole entity is valuable in itself Bio-centric theories The environment has intrinsic value Booklets, p Textbooks, p Vardy, p

ExplanationKey philosophersForAgainst Conservation ethics Animals / plants have extrinsic, instrumental value. Singer: the environment doesn’t have intrinsic value Libertarian extension Human rights should be extended to non-human animals. Leopold: it is right to safeguard stability and beauty Ecological extension The environment as a whole entity is valuable in itself. Lovelock: the Gaia Hypothesis asserts that the planet is a living thing Bio-centric theories The environment has intrinsic value. Taylor: we should preserve the environment – not to do so is speciesism

Task – 30 minutes Fill in the sheet Based on your answers, try to rank the theories:  Which one has the best / most helpful approach to the environment?  Which one has the least helpful approach?  What kind of factors / ideas help you to make these judgements?

Rank the theories Which theory has the best approach to the environment? Why have you picked this one? Which theory has the least helpful approach to the environment? Why have you picked this one?