What is deep ecology?What is deep ecology? Deep ecologyDeep ecology is an is an eco-philosophyeco-philosophy, ,

based on the idea that all life is of based on the idea that all life is of value in itselfvalue in itself (intrinsic value), (intrinsic value), irrespectiveirrespective of its value to humans of its value to humans

This means that This means that Mother EarthMother Earth does not does not exist for the benefit of humans, and exist for the benefit of humans, and that humans do not and cannot own that humans do not and cannot own the planetthe planet

What passes for ownership of land and What passes for ownership of land and natural resources in industrial natural resources in industrial civilization, is in fact the civilization, is in fact the powerpower to to preventprevent other humans and nonhumans other humans and nonhumans from using themfrom using them

This power is expressed through This power is expressed through violenceviolence or the threat of violence or the threat of violence

Is might right?Is might right? The rulers of The rulers of industrial civilizationindustrial civilization and and

many of its people believe that many of its people believe that RIGHTRIGHT is the ability to use superior is the ability to use superior FORCEFORCE. . This means that, within civilization, This means that, within civilization, MORAL VALUESMORAL VALUES (right & wrong, good (right & wrong, good & bad) are considered to be & bad) are considered to be RELATIVE RELATIVE

ViolenceViolence directed at directed at the poor or the poor or disenfranchiseddisenfranchised, for instance, is , for instance, is considered to be acceptable. Violence considered to be acceptable. Violence directed at the directed at the rich and privilegedrich and privileged, is , is not considered acceptable not considered acceptable

The idea that humans are by nature The idea that humans are by nature selfish, greedy, egoistical, and violentselfish, greedy, egoistical, and violent, , is an ideology developed by is an ideology developed by civilizationcivilization in order to in order to legitimizelegitimize the fact that it is a the fact that it is a social system founded on the use of social system founded on the use of violence, coercion and forceviolence, coercion and force..

Deep ecology & moral realismDeep ecology & moral realism

• Deep ecology is based on the idea that moral values are REAL, not relative. This means that some things JUST ARE BAD, or JUST ARE WRONG, irrespective of culture, society, class, or the capacity to apply superior force

•Humans are born with a moral sense that is part of their evolutionary inheritance: this moral sense is a code that gives structure to human communities

•Humans have the ability to override their moral sense, but are aware of it when they are doing so, due to an inbuilt warning-system known as CONSCIENCE

The ecological world-viewThe ecological world-view Deep ecologyDeep ecology cannot be fitted into the world- cannot be fitted into the world-

view of view of industrial civilizationindustrial civilization, because it is based , because it is based on a different conception of on a different conception of human naturehuman nature

Deep ecologyDeep ecology offers an offers an alternative world viewalternative world view to to that of industrial civilizationthat of industrial civilization

The world-view of civilization (The world-view of civilization (the scientific world the scientific world viewview) and the world-view of deep ecology () and the world-view of deep ecology (the the ecological world viewecological world view) are mutually exclusive: ) are mutually exclusive: they cannot be held together.they cannot be held together.

Deep ecologyDeep ecology is a is a value-systemvalue-system that puts that puts LIFELIFE first. The dominant value-system theoretically first. The dominant value-system theoretically puts humans first, but in practice works for only a puts humans first, but in practice works for only a minority of humans. It has proved minority of humans. It has proved destructivedestructive to to the biosphere on which all life is the biosphere on which all life is dependentdependent

Deep ecologyDeep ecology is a new is a new paradigmparadigm (world-view) (world-view) that offers a solution to the environmental crisis that offers a solution to the environmental crisis on this planet - a crisis that has been brought on this planet - a crisis that has been brought about by industrial civilization and the scientific about by industrial civilization and the scientific world viewworld view

What does deep ecology say?What does deep ecology say?

Deep ecology is based on 8 tenets:Deep ecology is based on 8 tenets:

#1 That all life is of #1 That all life is of intrinsic valueintrinsic value, irrespective of its value , irrespective of its value to humansto humans

#2 That the #2 That the diversity of lifediversity of life is part of this value is part of this value#3 That humans have no right to interfere with the diversity #3 That humans have no right to interfere with the diversity

of life, except to satisfy of life, except to satisfy vitalvital needs needs#4 That the flourishing of human & nonhuman life on this #4 That the flourishing of human & nonhuman life on this

planet is compatible with a planet is compatible with a substantial decrease in substantial decrease in human populationhuman population

#5 That human interference with the diversity of life is #5 That human interference with the diversity of life is currently currently excessiveexcessive and rapidly worsening and rapidly worsening

#6 That the dominant ideological, political, economic and #6 That the dominant ideological, political, economic and technological structures of industrial civilization must technological structures of industrial civilization must be be changedchanged

#7 That this ideological change must be based on an #7 That this ideological change must be based on an improvement of the improvement of the quality of lifequality of life, rather than an , rather than an adherence to improvements in the adherence to improvements in the material standard material standard of livingof living

#8 That those who accept the above tenets have an #8 That those who accept the above tenets have an obligationobligation to directly or indirectly to directly or indirectly implement the implement the necessary changesnecessary changes