Outline of the report

Objectives

Introduction

Definition

At the end of this topic, the learners will be able to:

*Identify the key concepts of environmental ethics.

*Recognize the impact of environmental ethics between humans and the natural world.

*Valuing some practices of environmental ethics in order to take actions to real world or community
problems.

Introduction:

Enviroethics or environmental ethics (EE) is a part of environmental philosophy that extends the
traditional boundaries of ethics from only including humans to including the non-human world. It has
come to exert significant influence over a number of human science disciplines including Theology, Law,
Economics, Sociology, Ecology, and Geography in relation to sustainability and human well-being.

(1). EE studies the moral relationship of human beings to the environment and its contents

(2). Traditional western ethical views are human-centered or anthropocentric

(3). Anthropocentrism simply places humans at the center of the universe; therefore, everything else in
existence should be evaluated in terms of its utility for us.

(4). Therefore, EE as a branch of environmental philosophy considers the actual and possible ethical
relationships between humanity and non-human nature.

Definition:

Environmental

- Relating to the natural world and the impact of human activity on its condition.

Ethics

- Is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do,
usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
Environmental Ethics

- Environmental ethics is a branch of applied philosophy that studies the conceptual foundations
of environmental values as well as more concrete issues surrounding societal attitudes, actions,
and policies to protect and sustain biodiversity and ecological systems.

Background:

Although nature was the focus of much nineteenth and twentieth century philosophy, contemporary
environmental ethics only emerged as an academic discipline in the 1970s. The questioning and
rethinking of the relationship of human beings with the natural environment over the last thirty years
reflected an already widespread perception in the 1960s that the late twentieth century faced a human
population explosion as part of a serious environmental crisis.

Why must we learn about environmental ethics?

- Environmental ethics is quite important because it serves as the moral ground to protect our
planet’s environment and continuously fix the environmental degradation that we have caused
over the years.

Through environmental ethics, we are being reminded of our environmental responsibilities and our
ecological consciousness is being awakened. Without environmental ethics, people would continue to
degrade and destroy our planet and live life as if they are not dependent on nature.

But with the ecological consciousness provided by environmental ethics, we can lead towards a
sustainable future, an ecological balance, and the enrichment of our environment’s diversity.

Principles/Approaches

There are several approaches or principles to determine how we are to value our environment. It is such
a huge field, and it is so vast that it is difficult for one principle to cover all the ground. Many theories
have emerged over the years, and each one has stressed various principles of environmental ethics. The
list below states all the principles that have been predominantly found in those theories.

1. Anthropocentrism
It suggests that human beings are the most important beings. All other living beings are only accessories
that would assist in their survival. Now, there are two further divisions of anthropocentrism. They are
weak anthropocentrism and strong anthropocentrism.

While weak anthropocentrism believes that human beings are the centre because it is only through their
perspective that environmental situations can be interpreted.

Strong anthropocentrism, however, believes that human beings are at the centre because they rightfully
deserve to be there. Peter Vardy made this distinction.

2. Non-Anthropocentrism

As opposed to anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism, this principle gives value to every object,
every animal in nature. It is a principle that believes in everything that sustains itself in nature.

3. Psychocentrism

Psychocentrism is the principle that believes that human beings hold more value in the environment
since their mental capacities are better developed and far more complex than any other element in the
environment.

4. Biocentrism

It is a term that holds not only an ecological but also a political value. It is a philosophy that imparts
importance to all living beings. In terms of environmental ethics, biocentrism is the principle that
ensures the proper balance of ecology on the planet.

5. Holism

The term holism had been coined by Jan Smuts in his book called Holism and Evolution (1926). Holism
considers environment systems as a whole rather than being individual parts of something. It considers
these environmental systems to be valuable.

6. Resourcism
The principle of resourcism says that nature is considered to be valuable only because it has resources
to provide with. Thus, nature ought to be exploited.

7. Speciesism

The principle of speciesism justifies the superiority of the human race. Thus, it also justifies the
exploitation and maltreatment of animals by humankind.

8. Moral Considerability

This, too, is an important principle of environmental ethics. Intrinsic value is added to every being, which
makes us consider being moral. Moral considerable towards a being means that we agree that all our
interactions whatsoever with the being is bound by moral laws.

9. Instrumental Value

The instrumental value is the value imparted to a being as long as it can serve us with resources.

10. Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic value is the value attached to a being just for itself and not only for its resourcefulness.

11. Aesthetic Value

Aesthetic value is imparted to a being by virtue of its looks or its beauty.

12. Animal Liberation or Animal Rights

As is evident from its name, animal liberation or rights tries to secure animal life and ensure their
welfare by enforcing certain laws.

13. Animal Welfare

It ensures that the animals are treated well and humanely.

Types of Environmental ethics

In the Anthropocentric side includes:

Utilitarianism: This ethical theory holds that the moral value of actions should be determined by their
utility or usefulness in promoting human happiness or well-being.

Environmental humanism: This approach emphasizes the value of the natural world for its usefulness to
human beings and the importance of protecting it for future generations.

Environmental pragmatism: This perspective focuses on practical solutions to environmental problems,

In the Non-anthropocentric

Social ecology

Which is the study of human beings and their relationships to their environment.

Deep ecology

Promotes the idea that all beings have an intrinsic value.

Ecofeminism

Is a branch of feminism that helps us look at the earth as a woman so that we can respect it in a better
way.

Animal rights

This ethical theory holds that animals have inherent value and should not be treated merely as
resources for human use, but rather as beings with their own interests and needs that must be
respected.
Biocentrism

This environmental philosophy holds that all living things have inherent value, and that the natural
world should be protected and preserved for its own sake.

Current environmental challenges we are facing now:

Pollution

Soil Degradation

Global Warming

Overpopulation

Natural Resource Depletion

Generating Unsustainable Waste

Waste Disposal

Deforestation

Polar Ice Caps

Loss of Biodiversity

Environmental practices

*Compost your food waste.

*Commute sustainably.

*Pack out more than you pack in.

*Incorporate reusable products.

*Donate old items.

*Ditch the plastic bottles.

*Reduce your energy consumption.

*Plant a tree or, better yet, multiple!

Conclusion
 To sum it all up, Environmental Ethics is not just a branch of Applied Philosophy but holds a moral
ground to our earth both drawing out concerns or issues that lies on the Anthropocentric side and Non-
anthropocentric side. Environmental ethics also reminds us on how to make a change to our natural
world because we are depending on the natural resources itself without being aware of taking it more
than we bargain for and it could result of scarcity or worse a total extinction of our natural resources
and natural environments.

References:

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/environmental-ethics.php

https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/

https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/environmental-ethics-96467512/#:~:text=Environmental
%20ethics%20is%20a%20branch,sustain%20biodiversity%20and%20ecological%20systems.

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/environmental-ethics.php

https://mpowerd.com/blogs/bright-ideas/10-environmental-practices-to-adopt-in-everyday-life