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Professor Jayashree SadriAnd
Dr Sorab Sadri
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Environmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the
traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including
humans to including the non-human world.
What is Environmental Ethics?
For example:It exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including law, sociology, theology, economics, ecology and geography.
There are many ethical decisions that human beings make with respect to the environment.
For example:Should we continue to clear cut forests for the sake of human consumption?
Should we continue to propagate? Should we continue to make gasoline powered vehicles?
When will this thirst for exploitation and profit end?
Why this “conspicuous consumption?”
For example:What environmental obligations do we
need to keep for future generations?[ Is it right for humans to knowingly cause the extinction of a species for the convenience of humanity?
Is “false consciousness” combining with “conspicuous consumption”?
Why do governments across the world fail to “walk their talk”?
HUNTING INDISCRIMINATELYExtinction of the White Rhino (Assam) for
aphrodisiacSlaughter of the Black Rhino (Central Africa) for
aphrodisiacDisappearance of the White Tigers (Reva) for
stupidityThe Indian Lion (Gir) and the Royal Bengal Tiger
being killed because the Government has no will to act.
Slaughter of the Seals (Antarctica) for food and oilWhale hunting (Japanese waters and China Sea) for
food Fox hunting (Mark Twain’s quip on British sport)Himalayan Deer (for Kasturi)Grizzly Bear hunting (Canada – human-animal turf
war)
Can Humans Live In Harmony With Nature?
Some DefinitionsMoral Agents
Those who have the freedom and rational capacity to be responsible for choices
Those capable of moral reflection and decision.
Example: adult humans of sound mindInfants and mentally
infirm adults are NOT moral agents
DefinitionsMoral Standing:
If you have moral standing:Your continued existence or
welfare is valuable in itself (intrinsic value)
Your interests and well-being must be weighed when deciding what is permissible to do.
Example: humans of all kinds Babies, children, adults,
old people, etc. Women, different races,
different cultures
Definitions
Moral Duties That which is owed
by moral agents to those with moral standing.
Example: It is wrong to kill our children because we have a moral duty toward them
Philosophical IssueWho or what has
moral standing, and why?Does the environment
have moral standing?Must look at criteria
for moral standingWhat moral duty do
we (moral agents) have toward those with moral standing?Different ethical
positions suggest different moral duties.
Yosemite National Park
Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing
Membership in the species Homo sapiens Humans have a soul Humans are moral
agents and are responsible for
knowing right from wrong Humans are intelligent Humans have
personhoodand self-consciousness
Humans have language
Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing
Sentience, the ability to feel painTherefore extend
moral standing to animals.
On the evolutionary chain as well as in the food chain we are all linked anyway.
Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing
Being aliveTherefore extend
moral standing to animals and plants:
All living things.
Take this understanding as your contribution to Plant Earth for all the things you have got from it.
Ideas on Criteria for Moral Standing
Being part of natureTherefore extend
moral standing to the earthecosystems rocks rivers plants animals the entire natural
world
Ethical PositionsAnthropocentris
m: Human centered moralityOnly humans
have intrinsic value and moral standing.
The rest of the natural world has instrumental value (use to humans).
AnthropocentrismWe can best protect
nature by looking out for human needs. Ex: Ducks Unlimited
preserves wetlandsEx: Saving the
rainforests will provide O2 and medicines for humans.
Problem: Would you blow up the world if you were the last human alive?
Ethical PositionsSentio-centrism:
Sentient-being centered moralityAll and only sentient
beings (animals that feel pain) have intrinsic value and moral standing.
The rest of the natural world has instrumental value.
Both humans and sentient animals have rights and/or interests that must be considered
Ethical PositionsBiocentric
Individualism: Life-centered moralityAll and only living beings,
specifically individual organisms (not species or ecosystems) have intrinsic value and moral standing.
Humans are not superior to other life forms nor privileged, and must respect the inherent worth of every organism
Humans should minimize harm and interference with nature: eat vegetarian since less land needs to be cultivated.
Ethical PositionsEco-centric Holism:
ecosystem centered morality
Non-individuals (the earth as an interconnected ecosystem, species, natural processes) have moral standing or intrinsic value and are deserving of respect.
Individuals must be concerned about the whole community of life/nature,
Humans should strive to preserve ecological balance and stability.
Patriarchal DualismsGreek, Roman, Hebrew:
Humans are separate from and superior to nature
Human, mind, rationality, and manare linked and superior
Nature, body, feelings, and womanare linked, and inferior
Justifies domination by men overNatureWomen
Aristotle
Ecofeminism
Rejects Patriarchal Dualisms
The domination of nature by men is wrong is similar to and related to the
domination of women by men.
Must break the pattern of "power over" relationships will benefit both women and the
natural world.
Acid attack victims
Feminism
What Price Male Chauvinism?
What or who gave males the moral authority to worship a woman in a temple or a church only to defile and denigrate her at home?
Do you realize that the dowry system puts up a man as a mere commodity for sale to the highest woman bidder?
Honour killings are nothing but an outburst of male mental impotency and false social sanction.
Deep EcologyHumans are deeply
connected with nature. If humans identify
with nature, then taking care of the natural world will become part of taking care of one's self.
Yet human beings destroy nature and its bountiful gifts for short term and pecuniary gain.
Chief Sitting Bull, 1877“Behold, my brothers, the
spring has come; the earth has received the embraces of the sun and we shall soon see the results of that love!
Every seed has awakened and so has all animal life.
It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being and we therefore yield to our neighbors, even our animal neighbors, the same right as ourselves, to inhabit this land…
Chief Sitting Bull, 1877“Yet hear me, my
people, we have now to deal with another race - small and feeble when our fathers first met them, but now great and overbearing.
Strangely enough they have a mind to till the soil and the love of possessions is a disease with them . . ..
Sitting Bull, 1877“They claim this mother of
ours, the earth, for their own, and fence their neighbors away;
they deface her with their buildings and their refuse.
They threaten to take [the land] away from us.
My brothers, shall we submit, or shall we say to them:
"First kill me before you take possession of my Fatherland."
BioregionalismLead a simple life
with local production of food and other products by people that you know Increases
environmental awareness and caring
decreases exploitation of the environment and people.
RealitiesWe owe it to future generations to
preserve Mother Earth since we hold it in trust for our children.
The rate at which flora and fauna are disappearing is scandalous.
Global warming is a great fear that we cannot overlook
TRY TO SEE WHAT LIES BEHIND Sunderlal Bahaguna and the
Chipko MovementThe Chilka Lake controversyThe Netarhat Firing Range scandalThe Narbada Bachao AndolanThe Clean Ganga MovementKoel Karo Project