Man and His Environment Flashcards
-The branch of philosophy concerned with the natural environment and humanity’s place within it.
-It’s not entirely concerned about whether we should or should not protect the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
-The belief that humans are central and the most significant species on the planet.
Anthropocentrism
-This view believes that humans are considered the primary cause that drives environmental changes.
Anthropocentrism
“human”, centric.
Anthropocentric
Something is at the top; in this case, humans.
Hierarchical
-An ethical approach that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources.
Stewardship Approach
-In this case, we are stewards; or managers.
Stewardship Approach
-We ascribe value to things around us according to needs.
Stewardship Approach
-It sees the natural world as being maintained by the interrelationship among living organisms.
Deep Ecology
-Every living organism is dependent on others for survival.
Deep Ecology
-To deviate from the stewardship approach or shallow ecology, _________ is not anthropocentric, or hierarchical.
Deep Ecology
5 Central Tenets of Deep Ecology
- Inherent Value
- Diversity
- Vital Needs
- Population
- Policy Change
There is an intrinsic value in the environment. These values are independent of the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes.
- Inherent Value
The diversity of life forms contributes to the realization of the value of life.
- Diversity
Humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital human needs.
- Vital Needs
The flourishing of non-human life is inversely proportional to the human population increase. The flourishing of nonhuman life requires such a decrease.
- Population
Therefore, we have an obligation to adopt policies that protect the vital needs of all living things while sacrificing non-vital needs. These policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures.
- Policy Change
- Advocated human responsibility and action about environmental issues.
- All nonhuman elements of the world have intrinsic value and should be preserved.
- The preservation of the environment is beneficial for humans as it is to provide for the present and future generations.
- Man has the responsibility to safeguard the planet as it has been entrusted to him by God.
Environmental Ethics
