Transcript Topic 5

Topic 5:
Environmental
Ethics
Discussion: Wed 9/12 & Fri 9/14
Homework Due: Mon 9/17
Questions for homework





Does a river have rights?
How do we determine the ethical status and
value of a river?
What is morally right and wrong with respect
to a river? How do you decide?
EXPLAIN your answers.
Due Monday, September 17
Philosophy &
Environmental Ethics

What are morals and values?
 morals
- right vs wrong
 values - ultimate worth of actions or things
Ethical status

moral agents



moral subjects



can act morally and immorally
responsible for actions
have moral interests - can be treated rightly or wrongly
not responsible for actions
Which is nature?




agent
subject
resilient background
delicate system
Groups
Does a river have ethical status?
 What is it? (agent, subject, something
else)
 Why?

Value
intrinsic/inherent - because it exists
 instrumental - because it has a use


humans vs living things vs physical
things
Questions for homework





Does a river have rights?
How do we determine the ethical status and
value of a river?
What is morally right and wrong with respect
to a river? How do you decide?
EXPLAIN your answers.
Due Monday, September 17
For Friday
What is your environmental ethic?
 What in your personal background
informs this ethic?


Consider this
 How
much pollution can be put in a river
before your personal ethic is violated?
Groups
Is it OK to pollute a river?
 If yes, how much is OK?

Why/why not?
 On what do you base you decision?

Ethical viewpoints

Universalist







fundamental principles
unchanging
eternal
universal
modernists: develop
universal laws through
science



vary by person, society,
situation
right and wrong must have
a context
postmodernist: all
viewpoints are equal
action is right that produces




Relativist

Utilitarian


the greatest good
for the greatest number of
people
for the longest time (added by
early environmentalists)
can justify terrible actions
difficult to weigh options
Nihilist




everything is arbitrary
no right or wrong
power, strength, survival
uncertainty, pain, despair
Environmental worldviews

domination




responsible caretakers
somewhat anthropocentric
ecocentric


humans may do as they want
anthropocentric
ecological processes are the
most important
animal rights

each individual has inherent
value
biocentric


stewardship




biodiversity has the highest
values
species and populations have
inherent value
ecofeminism





everything is interconnected
nothing occupies the high
ground
focus on relationship,
kinship, and reciprocity
for the good of all
relativistic awareness
Questions for homework





Does a river have rights?
How do we determine the ethical status and
value of a river?
What is morally right and wrong with respect
to a river? How do you decide?
EXPLAIN your answers.
Due Monday, September 17