Environmental Ethics

Group 2
Outline of the report:
Objectives
Introduction
Definition
Conclusion
References
Objectives

At the end of this topic, the learners will be able to:

*Identify the key concepts of environmental ethics.
*Recognize the impact of environmental ethics
between humans and the natural world.
*Valuing some practices of environmental ethics in
order to take actions to real world or community
problems.
 Introduction

Enviroethics or environmental ethics (EE) is a part of environmental

philosophy that extends the traditional boundaries of ethics from only
including humans to including the non-human world. It has come to
exert significant influence over a number of human science
disciplines including Theology, Law, Economics, Sociology, Ecology,
and Geography in relation to sustainability and human well-being.
 Introduction

(1). EE studies the moral relationship of human beings to the environment

and its contents
(2). Traditional western ethical views are human-centered or
anthropocentric
(3). Anthropocentrism simply places humans at the center of the universe;
therefore, everything else in existence should be evaluated in terms of its
utility for us.
(4). Therefore, EE as a branch of environmental philosophy considers the
actual and possible ethical relationships between humanity and non-human
nature.
 Definition
Environmental
 Relating to the natural world and the impact of human activity on
its condition.

Ethics
 Is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that
prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights,
obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
 Definition
Environmental Ethics
 Environmental ethics is a branch of applied philosophy that studies the
conceptual foundations of environmental values as well as more
concrete issues surrounding societal attitudes, actions, and policies to
protect and sustain biodiversity and ecological systems.
 Background
 Although nature was the focus of much nineteenth and twentieth century
philosophy, contemporary environmental ethics only emerged as an
academic discipline in the 1970s. The questioning and rethinking of the
relationship of human beings with the natural environment over the last
thirty years reflected an already widespread perception in the 1960s that
the late twentieth century faced a human population explosion as part of
a serious environmental crisis.
 Why must we learn about environmental ethics?
 Environmental ethics is quite important because it serves as the moral ground to
protect our planet’s environment and continuously fix the environmental
degradation that we have caused over the years.
 Through environmental ethics, we are being reminded of our environmental
responsibilities and our ecological consciousness is being awakened. Without
environmental ethics, people would continue to degrade and destroy our planet
and live life as if they are not dependent on nature.
 But with the ecological consciousness provided by environmental ethics, we can
lead towards a sustainable future, an ecological balance, and the enrichment of
our environment’s diversity.
 Principles/Approaches
 There are several approaches or principles to determine how we are to value our environment. It is such a huge
field, and it is so vast that it is difficult for one principle to cover all the ground. Many theories have emerged
over the years, and each one has stressed various principles of environmental ethics. The list below states all
the principles that have been predominantly found in those theories:

 Anthropocentrism
 It suggests that human beings are the most important beings. All other living beings are only accessories that
would assist in their survival. Now, there are two further divisions of anthropocentrism. They are weak
anthropocentrism and strong anthropocentrism.

 While weak anthropocentrism believes that human beings are the center because it is only through their
perspective that environmental situations can be interpreted.

 Strong anthropocentrism, however, believes that human beings are at the center because they rightfully deserve
to be there. Peter Vardy made this distinction.
 Principles/Approaches
 Non-Anthropocentrism
 As opposed to anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism, this principle gives value to every
object, every animal in nature. It is a principle that believes in everything that sustains itself in
nature.

 Psychocentrism
 Psychocentrism is the principle that believes that human beings hold more value in the environment
since their mental capacities are better developed and far more complex than any other element in
the environment.

 Biocentrism
 It is a term that holds not only an ecological but also a political value. It is a philosophy that
imparts importance to all living beings. In terms of environmental ethics, biocentrism is the
principle that ensures the proper balance of ecology on the planet.
 Principles/Approaches
 Holism
 The term holism had been coined by Jan Smuts in his book called Holism and Evolution (1926).
Holism considers environment systems as a whole rather than being individual parts of something.
It considers these environmental systems to be valuable.

 Resourcism
 The principle of resourcism says that nature is considered to be valuable only because it has
resources to provide with. Thus, nature ought to be exploited.

 Speciesism
 The principle of speciesism justifies the superiority of the human race. Thus, it also justifies the
exploitation and maltreatment of animals by humankind.
 Principles/Approaches
 Moral Considerability
 This, too, is an important principle of environmental ethics. Intrinsic value is added to every being,
which makes us consider being moral. Moral considerable towards a being means that we agree
that all our interactions whatsoever with the being is bound by moral laws.

 Instrumental Value
 The instrumental value is the value imparted to a being as long as it can serve us with resources.

 Intrinsic Value
 Intrinsic value is the value attached to a being just for itself and not only for its resourcefulness.
 Principles/Approaches
 Aesthetic Value
 Aesthetic value is imparted to a being by virtue of its looks or its beauty.

 Animal Liberation or Animal Rights

 As is evident from its name, animal liberation or rights tries to secure animal life and ensure their
welfare by enforcing certain laws.

 Animal Welfare
 It ensures that the animals are treated well and humanely.
 Types of Environmental ethics
There are several types of environmental ethics, which can be
grouped into two main categories:

 anthropocentric (human centered) and;

 non-anthropocentric(non-human centered)
 In the Anthropocentric side includes:
 Utilitarianism: This ethical theory holds that the moral value of actions
should be determined by their utility or usefulness in promoting human
happiness or well-being.
 Environmental humanism: This approach emphasizes the value of the
natural world for its usefulness to human beings and the importance of
protecting it for future generations.
 Environmental pragmatism: This perspective focuses on practical solutions
to environmental problems, emphasizing the need to balance human needs
with environmental protection.
 In the Non-anthropocentric
 Social ecology: Which is the study of human beings and their relationships to their
environment.
 Deep ecology: Promotes the idea that all beings have an intrinsic value.
 Ecofeminism: Is a branch of feminism that helps us look at the earth as a woman so
that we can respect it in a better way.
 Animal rights: This ethical theory holds that animals have inherent value and should
not be treated merely as resources for human use, but rather as beings with their own
interests and needs that must be respected.
 Biocentrism: This environmental philosophy holds that all living things have
inherent value, and that the natural world should be protected and preserved for its
own sake.
 Current environmental challenges we are facing now:

Pollution
Soil Degradation
Global Warming
Overpopulation
Natural Resource Depletion
Generating Unsustainable Waste
Waste Disposal
Deforestation
Polar Ice Caps
Loss of Biodiversity
 Environmental practices

Compost your food waste.

Commute sustainably.
Pack out more than you pack in.
Incorporate reusable products.
Donate old items.
Ditch the plastic bottles.
Reduce your energy consumption.
Plant a tree or, better yet, multiple!
 Conclusion

 To sum it all up, Environmental Ethics is not just a branch of Applied

Philosophy but holds a moral ground to our earth both drawing out
concerns or issues that lies on the Anthropocentric side and Non-
anthropocentric side. Environmental ethics also reminds us on how to
make a change to our natural world because we are depending on the
natural resources itself without being aware of taking it more than we
bargain for and it could result of scarcity or worse a total extinction of
our natural resources and natural environments.
 Conclusion

 To sum it all up, Environmental Ethics is not just a branch of Applied

Philosophy but holds a moral ground to our earth both drawing out
concerns or issues that lies on the Anthropocentric side and Non-
anthropocentric side. Environmental ethics also reminds us on how to
make a change to our natural world because we are depending on the
natural resources itself without being aware of taking it more than we
bargain for and it could result of scarcity or worse a total extinction of
our natural resources and natural environments.
 References:

● https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/environmental-ethics.php
● https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
● https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/environmental-ethics-96467512/#:~:text=Environ
mental%20ethics%20is%20a%20branch,sustain%20biodiversity%20and%20ecological%20sy
stems
. 
● https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/environmental-ethics.php
● https://mpowerd.com/blogs/bright-ideas/10-environmental-practices-to-adopt-in-everyday-life
 Reporter’s Profile

Kurt Allen Perilla Henry R. Amano Renz Daroy Jade Francess Peña