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Environmental Ethics Chapter 9

The document discusses environmental ethics, focusing on anthropocentrism, ecocentrism, and deep ecology. Anthropocentrism views humans as the center of value, while ecocentrism emphasizes the intrinsic value of all living organisms and their interconnectedness. Deep ecology advocates for ecological wisdom and a fundamental shift in human values towards preserving biodiversity and living sustainably.

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6 views5 pages

Environmental Ethics Chapter 9

The document discusses environmental ethics, focusing on anthropocentrism, ecocentrism, and deep ecology. Anthropocentrism views humans as the center of value, while ecocentrism emphasizes the intrinsic value of all living organisms and their interconnectedness. Deep ecology advocates for ecological wisdom and a fundamental shift in human values towards preserving biodiversity and living sustainably.

Uploaded by

menardcristobas96
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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GEC 7 Ethics

Chapter 9

OBJECTIVES
1. Discuss environmental ethics; and
2. Illustrate their perception of the protection of the environment.

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS?


It is defined as the moral relationship between humans and the
natural environment (Buzzle 2011). It is an area of environmental
philosophy that faces a lot of conflict due to the various subdivisions in
terms of ethical perceptions.

WHAT IS ANTHROPOCENTRISM?
The term anthropocentrism comes from the Greek
words 'anthropos' and 'kentron‘. 'Anthropos ‘means 'human being' and
'kentron' means 'center‘. So, etymologically, anthropocentrism means
human-centeredness. It thus refers to the belief or worldview that
humans are at the center of the universe.
The terms anthropocentrism and anthropocentric refer to a human-
centered perspective.
 According to the anthropocentric perspective, things are good to
the extent that they promote the interests of human beings. Thus,
for example, some people believe that animals are valuable only in
so far as they promote the interests of humans or are useful to us
in one or more of a variety of ways.
 For example, animals provide nutritional, medical, protective,
emotional, and aesthetic benefits for us.
 Those people who hold an anthropocentric view also may believe
that it is bad to cause animals needless pain, but if this is
necessary to ensure some important human good, then it is
justified. We do obtain useful products from the natural world.
 Example, Taxol is a drug synthesized from the bark of the
pacific yew tree and is useful in treating ovarian and breast
cancers.

In the most basic and general sense, nature provides us with our
food, shelter, and clothing.
 According to an anthropocentric perspective, the environment or
nature has no value in itself. Instead, its value is measured by how it
affects human beings. Wilderness areas are instrumentally valuable to us
as sources of recreation and relaxation, and they provide natural
resources to meet our physical needs, such as lumber for housing and
fuel. Estuaries, grasslands, and ancient forests also purify our air and
clean our water.

WHAT IS ECOCENTRISM?
It comes from the Greek words "oikos"(house) and "kentron"(center)
literally means house-centered. It is a term used in ecological political
philosophy to denote a nature-centered, as opposed to human-centered,
system of values.
A philosophy or perspective that places intrinsic value on all living
organisms and their natural environment, regardless of their perceived
usefulness or importance to human beings.
For ecocentrists, the natural environment is a house for
everybody and everything; living things and non-living things.
Ecocentrism sees the natural environment as one giant ecosystem wherein
all parts are interconnected with each other. The perspective of
ecocentrism focuses on the interest of all species and natural features of
Earth's ecosystems, refusing to place any aspect or species above others.

WHAT IS DEEP ECOLOGY?


Deep ecology was so named by Næss because it specifically
required people to question their most basic values and purposes with
interacting with other species and entities in nature. With entities, Næss
was referring to non-biological entities like mountains, rivers, and
the atmosphere.
Arne Næss, a Norwegian professor, draws a definite line between two
areas that he calls Shallow Ecology and Deep Ecology. Shallow
ecology is a movement that simply promotes conservation strategies
against pollution and the depletion of resources. Deep ecology is a
movement that promotes “ecological wisdom”, which is the understanding
of the reason for the Shallow ecology movement by acknowledging the
inherent value of all forms of life
Næss saw deep ecology as separate from, but not incomplete with,
other ecological movements, which he deemed shallow ecology. “Shallow”
and “Deep” provided descriptive forms for the level of introspection and
the societal formation required to fulfill what Næss thought of as
humankind’s obligation to nature. Shallow ecology movements, according
to Næss, aimed to develop solutions to ecological problems and ecological
ethics through the systems and institutions already established on society.
These were predominantly based in science and involved modifying
consumer culture.

8 Principles of Deep Ecology


1. The well-being and flourishing of human and non-human life on Earth
have value in themselves. These values are independent of the
usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes.
2. Richness and diversity of life forms contribute to the realization of these
values and are also values in themselves
3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to
satisfy vital human needs.
4. The flourishing of human life and culture is compatible with a
substantial decrease in the human population. The flourishing of non-
human life requires such decreases.
5. Present human interference with the non-human world is excessive,
and the situation is rapidly worsening.
6. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies after basic
economic, technological, and ideological structures. The resulting state
of affairs will be deeply different from the present.
7. The ideological change is that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in
situations of inherent value) rather than adhering to an increasingly
higher standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the
difference between big and great.
8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing point have an obligation directly
to try to implement changes.

These principles can be reduced to three simple propositions:


1. Wilderness and biodiversity preservation
2. Human population control
3. Simple living (or treading lightly on the planet).
The ecological problems faced by the world today are due to the
loss of traditional knowledge, values, and ethics of behavior that
celebrate the intrinsic value and sacredness of the natural world that
give the preservation of nature prime importance. Correspondingly,
the assumption of human superiority to other life forms, as if we were
granted royalty status over Nature - the idea that Nature is mainly here
to serve human will and purpose – receives a radical critique in deep
ecology.
Do the following:

1. Activity: Collage making. Look for old newspapers, magazines, or


brochures, cut-out pictures that capture the wilderness and
biodiversity preservation, Human population control, and Simple
living. Make a short quotation about it. Present your output to
the class.

2. Test Your Knowledge


Direction: Write the correct answer.
_________1. It refers to a perspective in which things are good to the extent
that they promote the interests of human beings.
_________2. It deals with a movement that promotes “ecological wisdom”,
_________3. This perspective focuses on the interest of all species and natural
features of Earth's ecosystems, refusing to place any aspect or species
above to others.
_________4. It is a movement that simply promotes conservation strategies
against pollution and the depletion of resources
_________5. The natural environment is one giant ecosystem wherein all parts
are interconnected with each other.
Main Points
Anthropocentrism regards human beings as the central element of
the universe. Humans are the only or primary holders of moral standards.
Ecocentrism is an environmental ethical stance that argues ecological
concern should over and above human priorities be central to decisions
about right and wrong action.

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