Lesson 8 January 2023

Lesson 8
Environmental Ethics
Starting Accurately:
When we see land as a community to which we belong, we
may begin to use it with love and respect. That land is a community
is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and
respected is an extension of ethics. Leopold, A. (1949)
Learning Outcomes:
 Discuss environmental ethics.
 Illustrate their perception on the protection of the
environment.
Stimulating Learning:
Show student the video, “ killing one owl to save another owl” in the
link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGFPsgQzeds After
watching the video, reflect on the video watched and answer the
question. “ The question is not Can they reason? nor Can they talk?
but Can they suffer?”
Inculcating Concepts:
The Environment and its Value

Environmental Ethics: Definition
 The moral relationship of human beings to and the value and
moral status of the environment and its non-human content.
 Study of the ethical basis of environment or discussion of the
ethical basis of environmental protection.
 The study of man’s moral obligation to preserve the
environment and the natural order of things.
 They are moral principles governing the human attitude
towards the environment, and the rules of conduct for
environmental care and preservation.

Why need to study Environmental ethics?
To overcome the following questions:
1. What are the environmental damage produce by the present
generation?
2. What acts must be given-up to slow such damage?
Environmental damage
1. Pollution:
1
o Air pollution
o Water pollution
o Land pollution
2. Resource depletion:
3.
o Depletion of species & habits
o Depletion of fossil fuels etc.
Human Role in Environment

 Humans both the problem and solution for the
environmental crisis.
 Human values can play a great role in solving
environmental issues.
 Values can show a path to not exploit the environment
beyond the limits.
 Famous Gandhi quote- “There is enough for everyone’s need
but not to everyone’s greed”.
Intrinsic and Instrumental Value

 Intrinsic Value- the value of things as ends in themselves
regardless of whether they are also useful as means to other
ends. Examples are happiness, Love, Honor, Family, Health,
and Freedom.
 Instrumental Value- the value of things as means to further

some other ends.
Example: A certain wild plant may have instrumental value
because it provides the ingredients for some medicine or as an
aesthetic object for human observers. But if the plant also has
some value in itself independently of its prospects for furthering
some other ends such as human health, or the pleasure
aesthetic experience, then the plant also has intrinsic value.
Value of Environment
 Instrumental value
The environment has value because it helps people to reach
some end
 Food
 Shelter
 Clothing
 Medicine
 Entertainment
2
Environmental Ethics Principles
 Local and indigenous environmental knowledge should be
respected.
 We must plan for the long term.
The Ethical Values for Pollution Control

 We should recognize our moral duty to protect the welfare not
only human beings but also other nonhuman parts of this
system.
 Usefulness of nonhuman world for human purposes.
 Humans have no rights to reduce this richness & diversity
expect to satisfy vital needs.
 The ideological changes is mainly that of appreciating life
quality, rather than to increase higher standard of living.
The Ethical Values for Conserving Depletable resources

 Proper utilization of resources i.e. the people should maintain
ecological balance.
 We should adopt voluntary measures to conserve the
resources.
 If we are to preserve enough scarce resources, so that future
generation can maintain their quality of life at a satisfactory
level.
Various World Views and Ethical Perspectives
 ANTHROPOCENTRISM
 The idea that the earth and its resources exists for human
consumption. People who hold this view believe that we
ought to protect the earth for future generations.
Anthropocentrism often focuses on fixing the problem of
limited resources through the use of technology rather than
a reduction in consumption.
 We can best protect nature by looking out for human needs.

Example: saving the rainforests will provide Oxygen and
medicines for humans.
 ECOCENTRISM
Ecosystem centered morality
 Non- individuals (the earth as an interconnected ecosystem,
species, and natural processes) have moral standing or
intrinsic value and are deserving of respect.
3
 Individuals must be concerned about the whole community
of life / nature
 Humans should strive to preserve ecological balance and
stability.
 DEEP ECOLOGY
 Deep ecology is a somewhat recent branch of ecological
philosophy (ecosophy) that considers humankind as an
integral part of its environment.
 The philosophy emphasizes the interdependent value of
human and non-human life as well as the importance of the
ecosystem and natural processes.
 It provides a foundation for the environmental and green
movements and has led to a new system of environmental
ethics.
 The phrase "deep ecology" was coined by the Norwegian
philosopher Arne Naess
 Ecological science, concerned with facts and logic alone,
cannot answer ethical questions about how we should live.
For this we need ecological wisdom. Deep ecology seeks to
develop this by focusing on deep experience, deep
questioning and deep commitment. These constitute an
interconnected system. Each gives rise to and supports the
other, whilst the entire system is, what Næss would call, an
ecosophy: an evolving but consistent philosophy of being,
thinking and acting in the world, that embodies ecological
wisdom and harmony.
Principles
 Proponents of deep ecology believe that the world does not
exist as a resource to be freely exploited by humans. The
ethics of deep ecology hold that a whole system is superior
to any of its parts. They offer an eight-tier platform to
elucidate their claims:[11]
 The well-being and flourishing of human and non-human
life on Earth have value in themselves (synonyms: intrinsic
value, inherent value). These values are independent of the
usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes.
 ECOFEMINISM
- Rejects Patriarchal Dualisms
 The domination of nature by men is wrong (is similar
to and related to the domination of women by men).
 Must break the pattern of “power over relationships”
(will benefit both women and the natural world).

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Lesson 8

The Environment and its Value

Human Role in Environment

Intrinsic and Instrumental Value

 Instrumental Value- the value of things as means to further

The Ethical Values for Pollution Control

The Ethical Values for Conserving Depletable resources

Various World Views and Ethical Perspectives

 We can best protect nature by looking out for human needs.

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