Essay On Environmental Ethics

EnvironmentalEthicsEssay

TheNeedforEnvironmentalEthics

"Unlesshumanityissuicidal,itshouldwanttopreserve,attheminimum,thenaturallife–support systemsandprocessesrequiredtosustainitsownexistence"(Dailyp.365).Iagreewithscientist GretchenDailythatdrasticactionisneedednowtopreventenvironmentaldisaster.Immediate actionandchangesinattitudearenotonlynecessaryforsurvivalbutarealsomorallyrequired.In thispaper,Iwillapproachthetopicofenvironmentalethicsfromseveralrelatedsides.Iwilldiscuss whytheenvironmentisamorallysignificantconcern,howanenvironmentalethiccanbe developed,andwhatactionssuchanethicwouldrequiretomaintainandprotecttheenvironment.

Themostobviousshowmorecontent

Thecostofcontrollingpollutionisthatwegiveupcertainconsumergoodsandservices,suchasa newwashingmachineorhospital,uptothepointthatwedecidethatthehavingthewashing machineorhospitalismoreimportantthantheenvironment.Yet,evenBaxteradmitsthatitisnearly impossibletoassignvaluesandcoststosuchdifferentitems.Consideringmodernscience,itwould alsobedifficulttoignoretheeffectpollutionhasonmanyplantandanimalspeciesonwhich humansdepend.

However,ahuman–centeredethiccanbeastrongfoundationforenvironmentalconcernwhentaken incontext.Humanbeingsarecompletelydependentonnaturalecosystemsforsurvival,thoughwe haveonlyrecentlyrecognizedthisfactDespiteadvancesinscienceandtechnology,thereisstill muchaboutthefunctionsandinteractionofdifferentelementsoftheenvironmentthatwejustdo notunderstand.Wedorealize,however,thatouractionsimpactingtheenvironmentwillalways affectotherhumansaswellasfuturegenerationsFurthermore,weknowthattoattempttoreplace thenaturalenvironmentwithanengineeredoneiscompletelybeyondourtechnologicalability,not mentionimpossiblyexpensive.Thus,itbecomesimperativetohumansurvivalthatwedevelopan environmentalethic.

PeterSinger'sPracticalEthicsseekstoextendhuman–centeredWesternethicstoincludeallsentient creatures(allbeingswhocan

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Environmentalchallengesasbusinessopportunity

I.INTRODUCTION"Earthprovidesenoughtosatisfyeveryman'sneeds,butnoteveryman's greed."–MahatmaGandhiTheabovequoterightlypointsouttheroleofenvironmentforthe mankindandtheresponsibilityweneedtoshoulderforitssustenance.We'vecomealongwayin recognizingthatandnowalmosteverybusinesshasastatuteofdoingsomethinggoodforthe environmentaspartoftheirCSRinitiative.Butcompanieswhothinkoftheenvironmentasasocial responsibilityandnotasanimperativearenotgoingintherightdirection.Theglobalclimate changesandthegradualscarcityofresourceshavecometolightasmajordisruptionsinthebusiness environment.Thesechallenges...showmorecontent...

Thisviewtriestodeveloppeople'svalueandbelieftowardsenvironmentandmanagetheway peoplethink.There'samajordifferencebetweentheconventionalandmodernviewsof Environmentethicsinthatthatattentionnowswingsfromthepersonwhowantstopreservethe worldtotheonewhowantstointerferewithitReligionandEnvironmentDoesreligionreally influenceourattitudetowardsnature?Wellthereisampleevidencearoundusthatprovidesalink betweenthetwo.Judeo–Christiantraditionshaveshapedthewaythewesternworldthinksabout nature.WesternChristianityassumedanAnthropocentricviewinthesensethattheyseparated humansfromnatureandencouragedexploitationofnatureforthebenefitofman."AndGodsaid, Letusmakemaninourimage,afterourlikeness:andletthemhavedominionoverthefishofthe sea,andoverthefowloftheair,andoverthecattle,andoveralltheearth,andovereverycreeping thingthatcreepethupontheearth"–BookofGenesis,verse1:26Incontrast,ancientHindusadopted BiocentrismandfeltGod'spresenceineverythingaroundthem,humansandplantsandanimals alike.TheyconsideredthenaturearoundthemasamanifestationoftheAlmightyhimself,the Brahmaan.Hence,theyfeltthatinordertopleaseGod,theymustliveinharmonywithHis creations.TheBhoomiPoojan,forexample,isaritualperformedinordertoworshipMotherEarth andseekforgivenessforviolating

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EthicalEnvironmentalIssues

SOC120:IntroductionToEthics&SocialResponsibility

01/18/10

"Ethicsisthestudyofthechoicespeoplemakeregardingrightandwrong"(Ruggiero,2008) Environmentalethics,itismoreofastudyaboutmoralrelationshipsofhumanbeingsto,andalso thevalueandmoralstatusof,theenvironmentanditsnonhumancontents.Humanshavebeen sharingourliveswithnatureformanyofyears;wehavetomakemanyethicaldecisionswith respecttotheenvironmenteveryday.Wehavebeenconcentratingonfindingwaysandideasto makeourliveseasier.Overtimewehaveforgottentotakeintheimmoralconsiderationofwhatwe mightbedoingtoourenvironmentitself.Inthepast,futureandevenshowmorecontent Therearemanyenvironmentalethicsatstake.Thefirstproblemwasthepollutionfromagricultural runoffsfromacresofsoybeanandcattlejustoutsidetheboundariesoftheKayapoIndiansThe pollutionfromtheheadwatersoftheXingudownriverfloweddowntotheKayapoIndians, contaminatingwatersuppliesandfoodresources.Thesecondissuewaslandinvasion."Partsofthe eastbankoftheMiddleXingucalledKapôtnhinorearebeingillegallyinvadedandsold.Thisis creatingahostile,dangerousenvironmentandalsoblockingrivertravel."(Goodale,2004)Thelast issuenotonlyaffectstheKayapoIndianbutalsoaffectstherainforestthattheyliveinAccordingto Goodale(2004),theBraziliangovernmenthasrevivedplansforseveralhydroelectricdamsalong theXinguRiver."TheproposedprojectwoulddisplaceKayapofromtheirhomes,becausealossof sustenanceforthoselivingdownstream,disturbfishpopulations,anddamageterrestrialecosystems" (Goodale,2004).Inasituationlikethis,therearemanyviewsfrombothsides.Somepeoplebelieve thatthisisjustwrongtodisruptatribe'snaturalwayoflife.Ifyoutaketheriverthattheysolely dependthiswillhurttheirwayofliving.Somepeoplethinkthatproposedplanshouldgoforward. Somebelievethatthedamswill

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EnvironmentalEthics

Tokeepourenvironmenthealthy,alltheseelementneedtoworktogether.Therearenogloballaws protectingtheenvironmentandthatiswhyeveryoneshouldpracticegoodethicswhenitcomesto theenvironment.Environmentalethicsisthepartofenvironmentphilosophywhichconsiders extendingthetraditionalboundariesofethicsfromonlyincludinghumandtonon–humansThere aremanyethicaldecisionsthathumanbeingsmakewithrespecttotheenvironment.Humansare beenconsideredofrationalagentsbecausetheyhaveclearpreference,modelsuncertaintyvia expectedvalues,andalwaystoperformtheactionwiththeoptimalexpectedoutcomeofitselfThe actionoftherationalagentperformsdependsonthe...showmorecontent...

Itwillinfluencethefuturegenerationstowhyweconsiderenvironmenthasbeenimportant,create opportunitiesforgenerationtocome,aculturethatcanbepassedonandsenseofappreciationof suchanexperience(Singer,2011).Thispointmaynotsoreadilyapplytoawiderconsequentialist approach,whichattributesintrinsicvaluenotonlytopleasureorsatisfaction,butalsotovarious objectsandprocessesinthenaturalenvironment(Singer,2011).

JohnRawlsstatesthattheprincipleoffairnessisimportantasitappliestoindividualstheprinciple offairnessarealinkbetweenthetwoprinciplesofsocialorpoliticaljusticeandindividual obligationstocomplywithspecificsocialpractices(Pogge,2007).Byexpandingthescopeofwhat oneconsiderstobean'end'toincludebothaspectsofnatureaswellasfuturegenerations,onecan transformtheimplicationsofRawls'theory(Pogge,2007).Rawlsadvanceshistheoryofjustice throughwhatiscalledtheOriginalPositionwhichisahypotheticalsituationinwhichallindividuals aregrantedperfectequalityandareaskedtochooseaprincipleofjusticebehindaveilofignorance, whicheliminatestheirbiases(Pogge,2007).ThehypotheticalpersonsintheOriginalPosition, ignorantofwhoandwhattheywillbeinsocietyandperfectlyequaltooneanother,areabletotruly cometoaconsensusastowhatajustsocietywouldbe(Pogge,2007).Justice

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EssayonEnvironmentalEthics

Ethicsisthestudyofwhatisrightandwronginhumanconduct.Environmentalethicsstudiesthe effectsofhuman'smoralrelationshipsontheenvironmentandeverythingwithinit(Stanford EncyclopediaofPhilosophy,2008).Theethicalprinciplesthatgovernthoserelationsdetermine humanduties,obligations,andresponsibilitieswithregardtotheEarth'snaturalenvironmentandall oftheanimalsandplantsthatinhabitit(Taylor,1989)Thepurposeofthispaperistoreveal environmentalissuesthatarethreateningtheexistenceoflifeonEarth,anddiscusoursocial obligationstorefrainfromfurtherdamagingourenvironment,healthandlifeforfuturegenerations. Iwilldiscustheneedforappropriateactionsandtheethicalshowmorecontent

Theseperspectivesareanthropocentricorhumancenteredandviewallnon–humanlifeasless importantthanhumansthemselves.Environmentalethicschallengesthesebeliefsbyquestioningthe assumedmoralsuperiorityofhumanbeingstomembersofotherspeciesonearth(SEP,2008). Preservationoftheenvironmentisessentialtothepreservationofthehumanrace.GlobalWarming isthenumberoneconcernthreateningtheveryexistenceofhumansandeverythingwithinthe environmenttoday.Thehumanraceistoblameforthedestructionofthenaturalworld.The environmentalissuesthatarethreateningallhumanandnon–humanlifetoday,startedinthe industrialrevolutionandthediscoveryofoilTheneedtoimprovethequalityofliferesultedinthe constructionoffactoriestomassproduceproductsforconsumers.Thesefactorieswerepoweredby fossilfuelssuchascoal,oilandgasThecombustionofthesefossilfuelsemittedgreatquantitiesof pollutantsthatremainintheEarthsatmospheretothisdayandisthenumberonecauseofglobal warming.However,inethicsonecannotevaluatejustonething.Inethics,asinnature,everythingis connectedtoeverythingelse(Partridge,1998)Deforestationforagriculturalpurposesandthe expansionofhumanhabitatsishappeningaroundtheworld.This

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"Ifweeachtakeresponsibilityinshiftingourownbehavior,wecantriggerthetypeofchangethatis necessarytoachievesustainabilityforourraceorthisplanet.Wechangeourplanet,our environment,ourhumanityeveryday,everyyear,everydecade,andeverymillennia."––Yehuda Berg

Thestateofourenvironmenthasbeendeterioratingforcenturies.Everypartoftheplanethasbeen negativelyimpactedbyman.Environmentaldegradationwasgreatlyacceleratedbytheindustrial revolutionthattookplaceinthe19thcenturyTheindustrialrevolutionmechanizedtheproduction ofgoodsandintroducedtheuseofmachineryandotherheavyequipmentwhichwerefueledby dirtysourcesofenergy.Atfirst,woodandcoalpoweredtheshowmorecontent

Theenvironmentprovidesmanyvaluableresourcesforhumanbeingsincludingbutnotlimitedto manynecessaryelementsforsustaininglife.Itcanbeargued,therefore,thatwhenapersonprotects theenvironmentforhisowngoodandthatoffuturegenerations,hemayjustifyhisactionsunderthe principlethathumanlifeissacredandmustbeprotected.Withoutair,cleanwater,andhealthy plantsandanimalsonwhichtofeed,thehumanrace,alongwithmanyotherraces,woulddieout.

Thosewhodonotfeeltheyaremorallyobligatedtoprotecttheenvironmentmayreadanother meaningintowhattheBiblestates"Dominion"canalsoimplythatmanisfreetodowhateverhe pleaseswiththeassetswhichhavebeenallocatedtohim.However,if"man,"ingeneral,hasbeen giventheenvironmenttosharewithallotherhumans,wemustrespectthefactthatweareonly entitledtodowhateveryhumanisentitledtodoWemustrealizethatourrightsonlyexisttothe pointatwhichtheyinfringeontherightsofothers.

Toappealtotheutilitarianapproach,oneperson'sdisrespectfortheenvironment–byspillingtoxic wastetouseadrasticexample–mayenablehim/herasmallamountofhappinessduetothefact thathe/sheisfreetobeirresponsibleandcarefreeHowever,thisactionholdsthepotentialtocause enormousamountsofunhappinessthroughlossofhealth,adecreaseintheavailabilityofnatural resources,andadecline

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EnvironmentalethicsTheIndustrialRevolutionfundamentallyshiftedtherelationshipofhuman beingstonature.Once,humanbeingswererelativelyvulnerableandhelplessbeforetheforcesof thenaturalworld.Now,intheageofindustrialization,humanityisabletochangeandshapenature, aswellassimplytrytosurviveitsonslaught.Withtheabilitytoalternaturehascomeunexpected consequences,however,thatforcesourspeciestocontinuallyreevaluatehowitrelatestothe environment.Globalwarmingisoftenseenastheconsequencesofhumanbeingsattemptingto dominatenature,throughtheconstructionoffossilfuel–burningmachinery,industrialized agriculture,andtheclearingofnationalhabitatsThequestionofhowtoliveinastateofbalance withnaturehasgeneratedthebranchofphilosophyknownasenvironmentalethics,aformof appliedethicsthatstudiestherelationshipofhumanstotheenvironmentandoftenprovides prescriptiveadviceabouthowhumanbeingsshouldliveinnature.Thecentraldebatebetween environmentalistsishowhumanbeingsshouldrelatetonature.Shouldthegeneralhealthofthe planetbethefocus,withhumanlifeviewedasmerelyonespeciesamongstmany,asadvocatesof theDeepEcologymovementpurport?Asimilarviewisadvocatedbyutilitarianphilosopherssuch asPeterSinger:"theinterestsofallthesentientbeings(i.e.,beingswhoarecapableofexperiencing pleasureorpain)––includingnonhumanones––

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EnvironmentalEthics

Itisastrongbeliefofminethattheresponsibilityofprotectingtheenvironmentismuchgreateron today'sgenerationthaniswasforpastgenerations.ThereasonthatIfeelthewaythatIdois becauseatthispointasubstantialamountofdamagehasalreadybeendoneandinordertoprevent anyfurtherenvironmentaldestructioninterventiononourpartisnecessary.Afterall,we(humans) arethemaincauseoftheproblems;shouldn'twealsobeapartofthecure.Ifwehadalwaystaken theenvironmentintoconsiderationpriortoouractionswewouldnotbefacedwithsomeofthe environmentalissueswearefacingtoday.Theproblemstartedwiththepastgenerationsbutthe solutionnowhastostartshowmorecontent

Thisisduetotheriseofcontraceptiveuseinthirdworldcountries.Inmoreeconomicallystable countriescouplesarewaitinguntillateragetostartfamiliesandarechoosingtohavefewerchildren thantheirparentsButontheotherhandthepopulationisgettingolderwiththeadvancesinmodern medicineandtheavailabilityofvaccinationsandmedicaltreatments.

Ibelievethatduetoour(people)pastcarelessnessregardingtheenvironmentandourongoing searchforconvenienceinthepresentwearehurtingourselvesinthelongrun.Reportsshowthat todayskincancerisoneoftheleadingcausesofcancerdeathWehavetogotosomewhatextreme measuresonadailybiasestoprotectoursskinfromthesunsharmfulultravioletrayswhichwasnot thecaseforpastgenerations.Sunblockdidnotevenexistdecadesagoandnowwecan'timagine lifewithoutitWhatneedstobedoneisweneedtotakemeasurestomakechangesinouractionsto preventworseconditionsforfuturegenerations.Itwastheactionsofpastgenerationsthatleadto thecurrentdamageoftheozonelayerthatiscausingtheseriousskinconditionsofthepresent generation.Itwillonlygetworseifwedonottakemeasurestoprotectwhatisleftoftheozone layer.Forifwedon'tIcannotimaginewhatwillhavetobedonejusttobeabletogooutintothe sun,orwhatnewskin

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"Atthecurrentrate,we'reheadedforandenvironmentaldisaster,"manysay,buthowmuchtruth doesthatstatementhold.Havehumansreallydestroyed,pillaged,andpollutedenoughtocausea serious,widescale,disaster?Ifnot,thencanwecontinueonwithoutchanging,andnotlearnfrom ourmistakes?Ifso,thencanwedoanythingtodaythatwillbringaboutatomorrowavailabletous? AllofthesequestionsholdgreatpertinenceforourcurrentsituationHumansdon'texactlyholdthe besttrackrecordforenvironmentalprotectionandpreservation.Throughouttimewehaveexploited natureanditscreaturesforourownbenefit.Wehavemadetechnologicaladvancesthatthreatenand disrupttheenvironmentwithtotaldisregardshowmorecontent Weproduceaninert,easilyproduciblepropellantforaerosols;andthenrealizeit?sonlyinertonthe ground.Onceit?sbombardedbyUVrayintheupperatmosphereitreleasesahighlydestructiveion thatwreakshavocontheprotectiveozonelayershieldingusfromthosesamedeadlyUVrays, creatingaholeinthelayerallowingtheradiationthrough,increasingcancerandothergenetic defectsWebuildrocketscapableofgoingintospaceandbreakingtheearth?sgravitationalpull; andthenimmediatelystarttopollutethisnewenvironmentwithspentrocketsandboostersalong withothermiscellaneousparticlesofdebris(CurranandHaw3).MichaelCrichtonwrites,?What wecallnatureisacomplexsystemoffargreatersubtletythanwearewillingtoaccept.Wemakea simplifiedviewofnatureandthenbotchitallup.?Youhavetounderstandwhatyoudon?t understandHowmanytimesmustthepointbemade?Howmanytimesmustweseetheevidence? WebuildtheAswanDamandclaimitisgoingtorevitalizethecountry.Instead,itdestroysthe fertileNileDelta,producesparasiticinfestation,andwreckstheEgyptianeconomy?(JurassicPark 91)TothecommonpersonourcurrentsituationcontainslittlehopeAlltheadvancementand improvementshavedonelittletofurtherourspecies.Witheachonehascomeanewenvironmental issue.Youalmostneedtoevaluateeachsituationintermsofpositivesandnegatives.However,at therootofall

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