Transcript Understanding Our Environment

Environmental Philosophy, Ethics, and Science
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Outline
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Introduction
Ethical Principles
Religious and Cultural Perspectives
Environmental Justice
Science as a Way of Knowing
 Scientific Design
 Modeling and Natural Experiments
 Paradigms and Scientific Consensus
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INTRODUCTION
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Ethics is a branch of philosophy:
 Morals: Distinction between right and wrong.
 Values: Ultimate worth of actions or things.
Environmental ethics deals with the moral
relationships between humans and the
surrounding world.
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Ethical Principles
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Universalists - Assert fundamental principles
of ethics are universal, unchanging, and
eternal.
 Plato
Relativists - Claim moral principles are
always relative to a particular person, society,
or situation.
 Nietzsche
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Ethical Principles
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Nihilists - Claim morality is arbitrary thus
there is no reason to behave morally.
 Schopenhauer
Utilitarians - Believe an action is right that
produces the greatest good for the greatest
number of people.
 Bentham and Mill
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Values, Rights, and Obligations
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Moral Agents - Beings capable of acting
morally or immorally, and who can accept
responsibility for their acts.
 Humans
Moral Subjects - Beings who are not moral
agents, but who have moral interests and
can be treated rightly or wrongly.
 Children
Moral Extensionism - Widening definition of
who is considered ethically significant.
 Animal Rights
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Intrinsic and Instrumental Value
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Intrinsic (Inherent - Innate) - Worth or value
simply because of existence.
 Humans
Instrumental (Conferred) - Worth or value
only because they are valued by someone
who matters.
 Tools
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Religious and Cultural Perspectives
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Biocentricism - All living things have intrinsic
value.
Anthropocentric - Human-centered.
 Genesis 1:28
Stewardship - Custodian of resources.
 Indigenous peoples
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Ecofeminism
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Ecofeminists argue most philosophers came
from a patriarchal system based on
domination and duality.
 Contend domination, exploitation, and
mistreatment of women, children,
minorities, and nature are intimately
connected and mutually reinforcing.
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
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Environmental Justice combines civil rights
and environmental protection to demand a
safe, healthy environment for all people.
 People of color around the world are
subjected to a disproportionately high level
of environmental health risks.
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Environmental Justice
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Toxic Colonialism - Targeting poor
communities of color in poor areas /
countries for waste disposal and / or
experimentation.
 Native American Reservations
 Moving operations to countries where
environmental regulations are lax.
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SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING
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Science - Depends on making precise
observations of natural phenomena and on
formulating rational theories to make sense
of those observations.
 Assumes the world is knowable, and that
systematic investigations can yield
meaningful insights.
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Science
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Deductive Reasoning - Starts with a general
principle and proceeds to a specific case.
Inductive Reasoning - General principles are
inferred from examination of specific cases.
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Scientific Design
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Reproducibility is a key test of any data set.
 Controlled Studies - All variables controlled
except for one.
 Blind Experiment
- Researchers, (or researchers and
participants in a double-blind) do not
know who is receiving the experimental
or control treatments until after the
experiment is completed.
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Hypothesis and Theories
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Hypothesis - A provisional explanation that
can be falsified by further investigation.
 When tests support hypothesis, it is only
considered provisionally true.
Scientific Theory - Hypothesis supported by
multiple experiments and a majority of
experts.
 Not casual everyday “theory”.
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Modeling and Natural Experiments
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Natural Experiments - Ideas and
explanations tested indirectly by looking at
historical evidence or natural experiments.
Models - Use of a substitute organism, a
physical mock-up, or a set of mathematical
equations that simulates a real system.
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Statistics and Probability
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Quantitative data can be precise, easily
compared, and provide good benchmarks to
measure change.
 Statistical analysis can be used to
calculate a margin of error and confidence
levels.
 Probability is a measure and prediction of
the likelihood of an event.
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Scientific Investigation
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Intuition and Inspiration
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Human factors such as creativity, insight,
aesthetics, and luck play definite roles in
scientific research.
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Paradigms
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Most research is based on commonly shared
paradigms - models that provide a framework
for interpreting results.
 Eventually, anomalies and contradictions
of paradigms arise and build.
- Typically new generations of scholars
challenge old paradigms and formulate
new hypotheses and theories leading to
new paradigms.
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Pseudoscience
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A common tactic in combating scientific
evidence is to use scientific uncertainty as a
an excuse to postpone or reverse an action
supported by the current scientific evidence.
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Summary
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Introduction
Ethical Principles
Religious and Cultural Perspectives
Environmental Justice
Science as a Way of Knowing
 Scientific Design
 Modeling and Natural Experiments
 Paradigms and Scientific Consensus
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