Environmental Ethics

Environmental Ethics - Presentation Transcript

Canticle of the Sun Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honour, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name. Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness. Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful. Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance. Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure. Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong. Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned. Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them. Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.

Environmental Ethics LO: Is the way we treat the environment an ethical issue? A2 Et h ic s

Homework: Find three practical, real life case studies of environmental issues addressed by ethicists.

http://static.flickr.com/64/207836370_501760ba77.jpg

Preservation of Species http://static.flickr.com/64/207836370_501760ba77.jpg

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/images/reports/j8512a-g30.jpg

Conservation of Habitats http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/images/reports/j8512a-g30.jpg

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://bp2.blogger.com/_57e2KV2nOZs/SCIJK7UrMMI/AAAAAAAAAeM/EE5mmtMzq1A/s400/biodiversity.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bioliscious.blogspot.com/2008/05/compendium-chapters-22-24.html&usg=__tQpbfKHA2QsPqGIyBNG8R64fg38=&h=389&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=43&um=1&tbnid=7ptfbARHln8izM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq %3Ddepletion%2Bof%2Bbiodiversity%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

Depletion of Biodiversity http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://bp2.blogger.com/_57e2KV2nOZs/SCIJK7UrMMI/AAAAAAAAAeM/EE5mmtMzq1A/s400/biodiversity.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bioliscious.blogspot.com/2008/05/compendium-chapters-22-24.html&usg=__tQpbfKHA2QsPqGIyBNG8R64fg38=&h=389&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=43&um=1&tbnid=7ptfbARHln8izM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq %3Ddepletion%2Bof%2Bbiodiversity%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

http://www.idrc.ca/IMAGES/media/briefing6-1.jpg

Depletion of natural resources http://www.idrc.ca/IMAGES/media/briefing6-1.jpg

http://www.unep.org/ozone/slideshow/pages/ozone-cartoons_03_0001_jpg.htm

Ozone layer http://www.unep.org/ozone/slideshow/pages/ozone-cartoons_03_0001_jpg.htm

http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/TendringDC/Environment/Pollution/

Effects of pollution http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/TendringDC/Environment/Pollution/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/senor_codo/352250460/

Why should we care? http://www.flickr.com/photos/senor_codo/352250460/

Instrumental or Intrinsic Value?

Consider ...

Consider ... Is the environment simply an exploitable resource for human interests, that is, does the Earth exist just for the benefit of humanity? Or has the earth a significance all of its own outside any use that might be made of it - a value that ought to constrain certain practices?

Consider ... Is the environment simply an exploitable resource for human interests, that is, does the Earth exist just for the benefit of humanity? Or has the earth a significance all of its own outside any use that might be made of it - a value that ought to constrain certain practices? Is it reasonable to expand the moral framework to nature and counter human chauvinism by showing that non-humans and even inorganic composition are not barriers to the range of ethical consideration?

Consider ... Is the environment simply an exploitable resource for human interests, that is, does the Earth exist just for the benefit of humanity? Or has the earth a significance all of its own outside any use that might be made of it - a value that ought to constrain certain practices? Is it reasonable to expand the moral framework to nature and counter human chauvinism by showing that non-humans and even inorganic composition are not barriers to the range of ethical consideration? Do other organisms and/or species have an intrinsic right to exist?

Consider ... Is the environment simply an exploitable resource for human interests, that is, does the Earth exist just for the benefit of humanity? Or has the earth a significance all of its own outside any use that might be made of it - a value that ought to constrain certain practices? Is it reasonable to expand the moral framework to nature and counter human chauvinism by showing that non-humans and even inorganic composition are not barriers to the range of ethical consideration? Do other organisms and/or species have an intrinsic right to exist? Do all life forms that exist deserve moral status simply on the basis that they exist?

Consider ... Is the environment simply an exploitable resource for human interests, that is, does the Earth exist just for the benefit of humanity? Or has the earth a significance all of its own outside any use that might be made of it - a value that ought to constrain certain practices? Is it reasonable to expand the moral framework to nature and counter human chauvinism by showing that non-humans and even inorganic composition are not barriers to the range of ethical consideration? Do other organisms and/or species have an intrinsic right to exist? Do all life forms that exist deserve moral status simply on the basis that they exist? Do our environmental duties derive from (a) the immediate benefit that living people receive from the environment, (b) the benefit that future generations of people will receive or (c) both (a) and (b)?

The way we treat the environment is an ethical issue.

Summarise what we have learnt today into five sentences.

Reduce to one sentence.

Reduce to five words.

Reduce to one word.

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists:

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists: Libertarian extensionists:

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists: Libertarian extensionists: Ecological extensionists:

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists: Only interested in conserving the environment because it will benefit humans Libertarian extensionists: Ecological extensionists:

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists: Only interested in conserving the environment because it will benefit humans Libertarian extensionists: ‘Rights’ should be extended to aspects of the natural world Ecological extensionists:

Alan Marshall’s 3 categories Conservationists: Only interested in conserving the environment because it will benefit humans Libertarian extensionists: ‘Rights’ should be extended to aspects of the natural world Ecological You should give value extensionists: to an ecosystem