PowerPoint Backgrounds Chapter 2 Students will understand many of the contributing factors involved with environmental science

PowerPoint Backgrounds I. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy A. General Information – 1. Concerned with morals and values a. Distinction between right and wrong b. The ultimate worth of the environment – 2. Environmental Ethics a. Moral relationship of humans with animals on earth

PowerPoint Backgrounds I. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy B. Universal Ethical Principles (?) – 1. Universalists a. The fundamental principles of ethics are universal, unchanging, and eternal (Plato) – 2. Relativists a. Moral principles are relative to a particular person b. no absolute principles exist

PowerPoint Backgrounds I. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy B. Universal Ethical Principles (?) [cont] – 3. Nihilists a. The world makes no sense b. Everything is arbitrary c. Use instinct to exist – 4. Utilitarians a. Greatest good for the greatest number of people b. Later added: ‘for the longest time’

PowerPoint Backgrounds I. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy C. Values, Rights, and Obligations – 1. Moral agents are human beings – 2. Moral subjects are children – 3. Moral extensionism expands the ethically significant – 4. Animal rights – 5. Intrinsic values (inherent values)

PowerPoint Backgrounds I. Environmental Ethics and Philosophy C. Values, Rights, and Obligations (cont) – 6. Instrumental values (someone considers them worth something) – 7. Should plants and animals have standing (legally)?

PowerPoint Backgrounds II. World Views and Ethical Perspectives A. Humanism and Anthropocentrism – 1. Anthropocentrism is where humans are viewed as more important than any other species – 2. Stewardship is the responsibility to manage and care for a particular place a. indigenous people (practice this concept) b. farmers (share this belief)

PowerPoint Backgrounds II. World Views and Ethical Perspectives B. Biocentrism, Animal Rights, and Ecocentrism Views – 1. Biocentric (life-centered) claims all living organisms have intrinsic values and rights a. Some believe every individual animal has rights – 2. Ecocentric (ecologically centered) claims moral values and rights for ecological processes and systems, the whole is considered more important than its individual parts

PowerPoint Backgrounds III. Environmental Justice and Investigation A. General Concepts – 1. Combines civil rights with environmental protection to demand a safe, healthy, life-giving environment for everyone B. Dumping across borders – 1. Targeting poor communities/countries for waste dumping sites Called toxic colonialism

PowerPoint Backgrounds III. Environmental Justice and Investigation C. Science as a way of knowing – 1. Parsimony is where an explanation of an unknown phenomena should first be attempted in terms of what we already know – 2. Inductive reasoning or bottom-up attempts to infer general principles from specific cases – 3. Deductive reasoning is using a series of logical steps to explain a phenomena

PowerPoint Backgrounds III. Environmental Justice and Investigation C. Science as a way of knowing (cont) – 4. Hypothesis is a possible/provisional explanation that may be supported by scientific discovery – 5. Scientific Theory develops from an explanation that is supported by a large number of tests and many experts agreeing on the results over time

PowerPoint Backgrounds III. Environmental Justice and Investigation C. Science as a way of knowing (cont) – 6. Scientific Method is the basis for scientific discovery a. Observation b. Methodical Testing c. Interpretation/ Analysis d. Retesting