1 Applied Ethics Section 5 Environmental Ethics

2 Study of the ethics of human interactions with the natural world & natural systems. Branch of ethics concerned with practical issues & matters of principle arising from such transactions.

3 History Environmental ethics emerged as an academic subject in a cluster of writings of the early 1970s. Most of these writings advocated moving from anthropocentrism (an approach which accords moral standing to human interests alone) to a non- anthropocentric approach (which recognizes the moral standing of non-human beings).

4 Ecocentrism Normative stance. Holds that species & ecosystems have an independent good, & as such have moral standing. Their attaining this good has intrinsic value.

5 Anthropocentrism Human judgements inevitably reflect human interests alone. But this is a fallacy; humans are free to heed other interests, & frequently do so.

6 Biocentrism Holds, cogently, that all living creatures have a good of their own, & have moral standing accordingly. Their flourishing or attaining their good is intrinsically valuable. Ecosystems are valuable because of the creatures that depend on them.

7 Normative Theory & Biocentrism Among normative theories, consequentialist versions of biocentrism are better grounded than deontological or virtue-ethics ones, & all are more coherent than contractarian ones.

8 To Consider What does the stance of biocentrism involve? What are the merits of this stance? Further consider what differentiates biocentrism from anthropocentrism & from ecocentrism.

9 Environmental Problems Causes include: Poverty High technology Note: the theory that Judaism & Christianity underlie the problems through their alleged anthropocentrism & condonement of environmental heedlessness (deriving from Lynn White) is inaccurate.

10 Important Environmental Policies Sustainable development (strong rather than weak sustainability). Biodiversity preservation. Climate change adaptation & mitigation.

11 Climate Change Mitigation A responsibility of individuals, households, corporations & governments. A global agreement would best be based on Contraction & Convergence, as proposed by Aubrey Meyer.

12 Exercise Consider the responsibilities of each of the following with regard to the environment: Individuals Households Corporations Governments.