Environmental Ethics Introduction and Overview Benjamin Hale Assistant Professor Philosophy Department and Environmental Studies Program University of Colorado Boulder bhale colorado edu http www practicalreason com Ethics Descriptive Ethics Tells us how the world is Anthropology Sociology Psychology Normative Ethics Tells us how the world should be Philosophy Religion Normative Ethics Philosophy Appeals to reason Religion Appeals to the supernatural Normative Ethics Normative Ethics Consequentialism Emphasis on consequences Deontology Emphasis on duties obligations Virtue Ethics Emphasis on character Consequentialism Principle of Utility Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness John Stuart Mill Consequentialism What should one do Good over Right What are the ends Should we maximize minimize optimize or something else What is the good Actual versus expected John Stuart Mill Deontology Categorical Imperative FUL Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law Immanuel Kant Deontology Immanuel Kant What should one do Right over Good What are the duties Which have priority How are the duties derived What if the consequences are really bad Virtue Ethics One swallow does not make a summer neither does one fine day similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy Aristotle Virtue Ethics How should one live What are the virtues Who is to represent them How are the virtues derived What if the consequences are really bad Aristotle Environmental Ethics Consequentialist approaches Is the world made better Singer Deontological approaches Are we doing the right thing Sagoff Environmental Virtue Ethics Are we being virtuous Hill Questions Glen Canyon Should we dam it Glen Canyon Colorado river runs through it Home to many wetland areas flora fauna Damming it could allow us to control water flow Would allow us to generate electricity Could generate growth and development Would be irreversible Glen Canyon Dam We dammed it Were we right to do so Environmental Ethics Anthropocentricism Commoner Bookchin Hardin Biocentricism Schweitzer Singer Regan Varner Warren Ecocentrism Sessions Naess Leopold Callicott Merchant Pragmatism Light Katz Hickman Weston Norton Anthropocentrism Social Ecology Environmental Economics Anthropocentrism This was wasn t valuable to humans Lost research possibilities Lost beautiful natural wonder Lost a natural cathedral Gained energy Gained a new kind of recreational area Gained control of the Colorado River etc Biocentrism Schweitzer Reverence for life Regan Subject of a life Varner Entities with Interests Biocentrism Disrespectful damaging to individual entities Some animals and plants have rights or considerability Some suffer Zebra mussels e g and other invader species threaten current inhabitants Biocentrism Disregards other considerations Like species Ecosystems Communities Raises concerns about equity arrangements between humans and non humans Questions Trajectory of Env Ethics Expanding the Circle The Struggle for Specialness Reason Communication Personhood Sentience Subject of a life Having a welfare Individualist Theories Species and Ecosystems Expanding Balloon Theories urge all ornothing inclusion or exclusion Ignore species Downplay the significance of land and ecosystems But there are more all encompassing views Ecocentrism Land Ethics Deep Ecology The Land Ethic A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity stability and beauty of the biotic community It is wrong when it tends otherwise Aldo Leopold The Land Ethic Emphasizes stability integrity beauty and biotic community Based on evolutionary theory Urges harmony with not domination of nature Allows for species and ecosystems Obligations accord with onion esque accretions The Land Ethic Problems Too Naturalistic Where s the Ought in that Is Too Demanding What is permissible in this world The Land Ethic as eco Fascism Too Emotivistic Based in moral sentiments Shaky Foundations Nature doesn t sit still It changes and we have no clear way of knowing what it means to violate it Deep Ecology Every living being is connected intimately and from this intimacy follows the capacity of identification and as its natural consequences practice of non violence Now is the time to share with all life on our maltreated earth through the deepening identification with life forms and the greater units the ecosystems and Gaia the fabulous old planet of ours Arne Naess Deep Ecology Seeks to overcome anthropocentrism Emphasizes interconnectedness Allows for species and ecosystems Deep Ecology Problems Too Relativistic Where do we find our oughts Too Demanding What is permissible in this world Deep Ecology as eco Fascism Too Spiritualistic Based in supernatural connection to Gaia Questions Environmental Ethics Introduction and Overview Benjamin Hale Assistant Professor Philosophy Department and Environmental Studies Program University of Colorado Boulder bhale colorado edu http www practicalreason com