Transcript Environmental Ethics

Environmental
Ethics
Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D.
University of San Diego
7/18/2015
Director, The Values Institute
(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Overview
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Introduction: Two Worldviews
Central Questions
Human-centered Approaches
Expanded-circle Approaches
Criteria of Moral Considerability
Future Generations
Predictability
Models of Humans and Nature
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Introduction: Two Worldviews
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Technological-scientific worldview
– See nature as something to be
manipulated
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Natural worldviews
– Emphasize connection between humans
and nature
7/18/2015
(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Central Questions
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Who or what has moral weight, i.e., is
deserving of direct moral consideration?
How much moral weight does each (type
of) entity have?
How do we make decisions when there are
conflicts among different types of beings,
each of which have moral weight?
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Human-centered Approaches
Premise: the environment has no
intrinsic value, only instrumental
 Ethical egoist/libertarian
 Group egoist
 Utilitarian
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Expanded-circle Approaches
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Expanded utilitarianism
– Includes animal suffering
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Biocentrism
– All living beings are deserving of moral
consideration
– Eco-centrism: includes the entire earth
• Individualistic: weight to each and ever
being or entity
• Holistic: gives weight to each species, etc.
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Criteria of Moral Considerability
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Intrinsic value
– What has value in itself?
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Teleology
– Flourishing in the natural world
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Aesthetic value
– Nature as object of beauty
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Sacredness
– Nature as holy
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Future Generations
What rights do future generations
have?
 Don’t yet exist
 Competing with actually existing
persons
 Is it morally right to leave the next
generation an environmentallyimpoverished world?
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Predictability
Prediction in this area is
extraordinarily difficult
 Multiple variables
 Long-term calculations
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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Models of Humans and Nature
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The object-of-use model
The object-of-appreciation model
The non-interference model
The apocalyptic model
Searching for a new model
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(c) Lawrence M. Hinman
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