Jaymie Ticknor Intro Philosophy 1050 Sect 003 21 23 and 25 April 2014 Lecture 22 Environmental Philosophy movement started in 1960s and 70s world s first Earth Day Use of DDT was found in human tissue tripled pesticide chemical first critique on chemicals banned since 1972 Apollo 8 took first photograph of Earth and became iconic image of the environmental movement holistic perspective on what humans are actually living on unit in itself damage on a large scale vulnerability Ohio Cuyahoga river known as the river that did not flow but oozed flames when oil and chemicals floating on the surface alight and cause flames over five stories high January 22nd 1969 Issues in the 70s biodiversity loss air pollution water pollution now climate change environmental justice food justice invasive species management Academia Theorists began criticizing Western ethical systems as being anthropocentric human centered many began calling for a change or extensions in ethics so as to include non human animals and nature called for change in the relationship between society and nature ways of evaluating the environment Relationship between Humans Society Culture and Nature Two previous strands of thought in environmentalism pre 1970s Preservationist movement influenced by transcendentalists Thoreau and Emerson perceived nature as divinity rooted in place save nature because it has value in itself Intrinsic value Intrinsic Value value in nature independent of humans non anthropocentrism problems give value by valuer Conservationist movement save nature for its instrumental or use value for humans influencing contemporary discussions of sustainability Instrumental Value value for humans anthropocentrism Sylvan Routley argues that currently it is morally permissible to misuse and destroy land and or animals argues that we need a new ethical system so that animals and nature are also worthy of moral consideration should have responsibilities towards them Passmore three important traditions in Western Ethics that need to be disregarded The Despotic Tradition man as tyrant do whatever man pleases to the environment The Stewardship Tradition man as stewart complete interference The Co operative Position man as perfecter complete interference Super Ethic principle basic human chauvinism because under it humans or people come first and everything else a bad last not harm others or oneself mostly operate on this The Last Man Example eliminates plants animals after apocalypse not harming humans The Last People Example The Great Entrepreneur Example The Vanishing Species Example blue whale going toward extinction Should Trees have Rights Sylvan thinks no but should have moral consideration for them Protecting something does not mean that it should be given rights right also has a responsibility and interests Right moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way oppression of rights to certain people have been seen as natural and radical Stone thinks that trees animals etc should stand it their own rights argues that by simply giving nature the ability to have legal standing public opinion will follow public will protect nature if prohibited to damage it Arguing along a traditional extensionist argument continuous extension of morals legal rights 1830s unable to perceive the idea of giving trees and animals rights but different compared to giving rights to all humans not necessarily mean that they can exercise their own rights Traditional way of deciding whether to issue injunctions in law suits affecting the environment has been to strike some kind of balance regarding the economic hardship on human beings we must treat nature legally as something that has legal standing which counts jurally and it can be made a real entity in court guardians approach protecting directly on nature s behalf Offers three premises that need to be applied to nature to give it Legal Standing Legal action can be pursued at its behest Injury to it can be taken into account Relief must run to the benefit of Peter Singer Animal Liberation specializes in practical ethics approaching ethical issues best known for his book Animal Liberation widely regarded as the touchstone of the animal rights movement the greatest good of the greatest number Major Problem Speciesism prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of the interests of members of one s own species and against those of members of other species Sentience ability to feel perceive or experience leads to moral equality between humans and animals equal consideration between all beings who have interests irrespective of their species The principle of equality of human beings is not a description of an alleged actual equality it is a prescription of how we should treat human beings the principle of equal consideration of interests animals can feel pleasure and pain no moral justification for refusing to take suffering into consideration Solution experiments serving no direct and urgent purpose should stop immediately adopt a vegetarian diet avoid killing eliminate speciesism