Environmental Ethics and Philosophy PPT Notes
Introduction
 _______________ is a branch of philosophy that deals with
o ______________: Distinction between right and wrong
o ______________: Ultimate worth of actions or things
“What is the good of life? How ought we, as moral beings, to behave? (Socrates and
Greek philosophers 2500 y.a.)
 _________________________________ deals with the moral relationships
between humans and the environment.
Ethical Principals
 ____________________ –basics of ethics are universal, unchanging, and
eternal.
o introduced by Plato and Kant
o ethical rules are valid regardless of our interests, attitudes, desires, or
preferences.
o these rules are revealed by God or discovered through reason and
knowledge.
 ______________________ - Claim moral principles are always relative to a
particular person, society, or situation.
o No absolute principles apply in all circumstances.
o “There are no facts, only interpretations” Friedrich Nietzsche’s
aphorism
 __________________ - Claim morality is arbitrary thus there is no reason to
behave morally or to be “good”.
o Claim that the world makes no sense at all
o There is no meaning or purpose in life other than the dark, instinctive,
unceasing struggle for existence
o “Might is right; eat or be eaten!” No such thing as “good life”! –
uncertainty, pain, despair prevail
 ___________________ - Believe an action is right that produces the greatest
good for the greatest number of people.
o Early conservationists – purpose of conservation is “for the greatest good
for the greatest number for the longest time”.
Values, Rights, and Obligations
 ___________________ - Beings capable of acting morally or immorally, and WHO
CAN ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for their acts.
 Humans
 _______________________ - Beings who are not moral agents, but who have moral
interests and can be treated rightly or wrongly.
 Children, people who are mentally ill
 __________________________ - Widening definition of who is considered ethically
significant.
 Animal Rights
Worldviews
 __________________________- Human-centered.
o “humans as more important than any other species”
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28)
 _____________________________- Custodian of resources.
o Humility and reverence are essential in this worldview, where humans are
seen as partners in the natural process rather than masters.
 _________________________ - “Life-centered”
o “All living organisms have intrinsic values and rights regardless of whether
they are useful to us” (John Muir and Aldo Leopold)
 __________________________ – (Ecology-centered)
o claims moral values and rights for ecosystems rather than individual
organisms – the whole is greater than its individual parts.
 _______________ - argue that most philosophies came from a patriarchal
system based on domination.
o Patriarchal worldview (1) men are superior over women (2) minds better
than bodies (3) progress is more important than nature
o _____________________________________________________________
_______
o Women are believed to be closer to nature.
o Ecofeminists, women who analyze the interconnections between the
status of women and the status of nature.
Overview
Environmental Justice
 ________________________________ combines civil rights and environmental
protection to demand a safe, healthy environment for all people.
 People of color are subjected to a disproportionately high level of environmental
health risks.
 Poorer minorities live in urban ghettos, toxic waste dumps, landfills, smelters,
refineries, incinerators, etc.
Environmental Racism
 _____________________________ – inequitable distribution of environmental
hazards based on race.
 Evidence: At every income level, whether rich or poor, black children are 2 to 3x
more likely than whites to suffer from lead poisoning.
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
•Define the key terms:
Ethics
Utilitarians
Morals
Tragedy of the Commons
Values
Moral Agents
Environmental ethics
Moral Subjects
Universalists
Moral Extensionism
Relativists
E.O. Wilson
Nihilists
Anthropocentric View
Stewardship View
Biocentrism
Ecocentricism
Ecofeminism
Biophilia
Environmental Justice
Environmental Racism
 Compare and contrast stewardship, anthropocentric, biocentric, ecofeministic,
ecocentric, and environmental justice worldviews. Which is closest to your own
views?
• Compare and contrast how different ethical perspectives shape our view of nature
and our role in it.
 Explain how your own worldview and core values shape your perceptions of nature.
 What is the human/nature relationships in each of the following: anthropocentrism,
biocentrism, ecocentrism, utilitarianism, and ecofeminism.
 Put yourself in the place of a person from a minority community, an underdeveloped
nation, or a Third World country. Explain environmental justice and environmental
racism from their point of view. What would you ask for from the majority society?
 This chapter addresses many social issues and theories. Are these areas appropriate
for an environmental science textbook? Why or why not?
 What happens in the “Tragedy of the Commons”? How do you propose we solve the
Tragedy of the commons? How does this relate to ethics?
 Who came up with the term “Biophilia” and why does Mrs. Rhodes wish to teach you
biophilia?
