Environmental Ethics

Introduction

The environment can refer to a number of interconnected aspects or a number of distinct aspects depending on your viewpoint.

To an extent it is a new issue, thinkers like Aquinas didn't have a lot of regard for the environment because things like Global Warming wasn't an issue.

There are 3 main environmental positions

1) Conservationists (Shallow Ecology)

2) Libertarian extension

3) Deep Ecology

BP Oil Spill (Case study)

April 2010, an oil rig exploded resulting in the death of 11 miners and the biggest oil spill in history. A controlled burn of the oil began but it had spread over 100 miles. Many people lost their jobs and businesses because of lack of fish.

The Gaia Hypothesis

James Lovelock claimed that humans have an interest to look after the plant because we are connected to it; we are part of the planet not masters of it

He argued for the existence of 'Gaia' a self-regulating living system and have 2 examples for this: If there was less than 12% oxygen in the atmosphere, fires couldn't burn

He claimed we shouldn't be anthropocentric because the earth is a holistic system with the power to change everything

Deep Ecology

Deep ecologists argue that human life is just one part of the ecosphere.

Naess refers to it as a "philosophy of ecological harmony", the environment can be seen as a biospherical net

Naess argues that Christian views are very anthropocentric but this is arrogant and should be challenged

George Sessions developed his 8 point manifesto
1)all life has intrinsic value
4) human impact on the environment is excessive
6) human impact must be reduced
8) those who accept the above must commit to peaceful change

Ethical Theorists

KANT

  • Maxims like ' use as many fossil fuels as you like' cannot be universalized
  • Countries that pollute a lot cannot dictate to other countries that they cannot do the same
  • We shouldn't use animals as a means to an end because its only one step away from using humans as it.

BENTHAM

AQUINAS

SINGER

  • Wouldn't consider pain or pleasure being cause to plants but may consider it for animals
  • Anthropocentric and shallow ecologist
  • Bentham's Hedonic calculus only applies to humans but the way we treat animals and the environment may impact out happiness
  • Somewhere between deep and shallow ecology
  • He doesn't think we should treat plants with intrinsic value but animals can have preferences so we should
  • Singer is against speciesism because it "draws an arbitrary line"
  • He gives the example of experimentation for cosmetics; they give a relatively small human benefit and their preferences should count as much as ours
  • Gives another example of antelope and friend caught in a trap claiming we should help the antelope first because humans can reason so the antelope would suffer more
  • "I don't think ethics is just for humans"
  • Sentient being centerd
  • Primary Precepts only apply to humans
  • He had little regard for animals
  • The only time he might have cared was if human life was protected by protecting the environment
  • However, if nature is harmed than Gods revelation about morality through nature is damaged, we can't understand him

Christianity

St.Francis claimed to love the environment, the moon was his 'sister' and the sun his 'brother'.

  • In Genesis 1, Humans have dominion over the environment (they have power)
  • In Genesis 2, Humans have Stewardship over it (look after it)
  • Many Christians used to focus on the dominion part but recently they claim humans should have control over it but also care for it - Still anthropocentric

Genesis 1 vs, Genesis 2

Genesis 1 - Adam is created last, God tells him to have dominion over the animals - masters of the earth not part of it

Genesis 2 - Adam created first from the earth and Eve created last from him. Adam and animals created from the earth = connected to it. Given Stewardship over earth