A study into the anthropocentric environmental ethics and criticism of the same through ecocentrism and deep ecology.

1. A CRITICAL STUDY OFA CRITICAL STUDY OF
THE ANTHROPOCENTRICTHE ANTHROPOCENTRIC
ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICSETHICS
Submitted by:
Sucheta Ray,
National Law University, Assam.

2. Introduction
• Anthropocentric ethics is the evaluation of reality
exclusively in terms of human interests and values. As a
way of viewing the world, anthropocentrism has a
profound impact on our decision-making calculus.
• It is very important to study the environment from the
human-centric approach.
• Because of the extensive alteration of the environment in
which we are livings by us, that is, the most advanced
animals residing on the Earth, the environment now has
degraded and degrading each day. Thus, humans owe a
moral duty towards the environment to try and preserve
it and eventually bring back to its formal glory.

3. Research Problem
• The Anthropocentric approach to the Environment is
mostly used in the Environmental Ethics. The approach
is mainly concerned with the humans and their needs
from the environment. However, Earth is a place for all
natural objects- living and non-living and not just the
human beings. This thought which is also shared by the
approach of the Deep Ecology can be used to dilute the
affect of the stringent following of the former. Thus, it is
necessary that both the ethics exist together for the
protection and preservation of the Environment.

4. Objectives
• To understand the influence of Anthropocentric
Approach and its off-shoot, techno centrism, in the
Environment.
• To explore the criticism of the approach through
the concept of Deep Ecology and Eco-centrism
• To find out the possibility and need of the co-
existence of Anthropocentrism and Eco-centrism.

5. CONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE OF THECONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE OF THE
ANTHROPOCENTRIC APPROACH TOANTHROPOCENTRIC APPROACH TO
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICSENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
• Anthropocentrism refer to the superiority of humans as
compared to animals. In principle, believing that humans
are superior to animals could be independent of an
environmental ethic of preservation of natural resources
because natural resources are valuable to humans.
• The Bible, itself, supports the anthropocentric
perspective that humans are the only things that matter
on Earth.
• “Man is the measure of all things”- Pythagoras

6. • Technocentric approach- Technocentrists tend to look for a
technical fix to the problems which are faced by the
environment.
• The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment,
1972
• The World Commission on Environment and Development
(1987) claims: All human beings have the fundamental
right to an environment adequate for their health and
well-being.
• Rio Declaration at the Earth Summit : "Human beings are
at the centre of concerns" (United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development [UNCED], 1992)

7. A Critique to the AnthropocentricA Critique to the Anthropocentric
ApproachApproach
• The homo-sapiens share the earth and its resources
with millions of other creatures, both living and non-
living.
• The unjust and indiscriminate exploitation of the
environment by humans is causing irreparable
damage to the environment.
• Aldo Leopold ,Land Ethics essay : Humans ought to
act only in ways designed to protect the long-term
flourishing of all ecosystems and each of their
constituent parts.

8. FOR INSTANCE:
 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2014 :
A quarter of chondrichthyan fishes— sharks, stingrays, and
chimaeras— are threatened with extinction.
 William Baxter, Ronald Reagan's argument on the extinction of
penguins (Optimal Pollution)
• Deep Ecology: Nonhuman life has value in itself that is
"independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for
human purposes
• Idea of eco-centric identification, a form of self-realization,
which calls on us humans to see ourselves not at the top of
creation but as merely one part of the "web of life," on an equal
footing with every other part

9. Co-existence of Eco-centrism
and Anthropocentrism
• Human beings and their importance cannot be
neglected completely.
• A positive concern for human well-being need not
automatically preclude a concern for the well-being
of non-humans, and may even serve to promote it.
• Nature need no longer be seen as a mere satisfier
of fixed and often consumptive values-it also
becomes an important source of inspiration in value
formation.

10. Conclusion
• Earth is not only a place for the human beings but all the
other elements- both living and non-living.
• Humans bear an ethical and moral responsibility to all the
other elements as the former’s survival is entwined with the
existence of the latter. A degradation of the latter can create
a misbalance in the lifestyle and survival of the humans.
• All the elements- plants, animals, rivers, natural resources,
water, air etc.- are equally important for maintaining the
status quo. Any change in any of the elements disrupts the
balance and destruction is caused.