The Environment

THE WESTERN TRADITION

Precursors

Hebrew: God said, "[F]ill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." (Gen. I:28)
Greek: "Man is the measure of all things." (Protagorus)

Christendom: God centered, presumably, but on earth humans rule! (Gen. I:28)

Augustine: "to refrain from the killing of animals and the destroying of plants is the height of superstition"
Aquinas: plants are made for the sake of animals & animals for the sake of us (following Aristotle)

Tenets: Human Centered Ethic

humans are the only morally important members of the world
nature itself is of no intrinsic worth
nothing can be morally wrong unless it harms human beings

Time for an attitude check

it was easier to ignore human effects on nature when

there were fewer of us having fewer effects
and more of It.

change to be considered

a more respectful attitude toward nature
a more humble assessment of our place in it

FUTURE GENERATIONS

Wilderness is a priceless world heritage:

human values

immense beauty
untapped scientific potential
recreational opportunities
a kind of shrine to nature: "just to know that something natural is still there"

long-term values here in the sorts of economic calculations that govern our lives

Even from a purely human centered point of view

we should be more concerned than we have with preserving important aspects of nature:

species
ecosystems
wilderness

for the sake of future generations

IS THERE VALUE BEYOND SENTIENT BEINGS?

Movement toward a less human centered ethic

Singer: all sentient beings -- not just humans -- matter morally
Some go further: see intrinsic value in plants, species, etc.

REVERENCE FOR LIFE

Extend moral concern -- accord intrinsic value -- to plants.
Recognize life in all its wondrous diversity as, in itself, a good thing
Biblical Argument: God "saw that it was good" when there were just plants -- before he brought forth any animals (Gen. I:12).

DEEP ECOLOGY

Biblical Argument II: God also "saw that it was good" of the earth and seas before any life was brought forth (Gen. I:10).
From life in all forms being good it's a small step to thinking

not just individual livings things
but other things have intrinsic value & are moral patients

species
ecosystems

A more Druidic more Native American Attitude

Druids: venerated nature: spirit everywhere

not just plants (& other plants and things)
but streams and fields and mountains

Native Americans: a similar attitude

reverence for the land

Recent New-Attitudinal Expressions

Leopold's "Land Ethic"
Gaia hypothesis

Earth itself -- global ecosystem -- a kind of living thing

that ought to be accorded the highest moral concern
mother Earth or Gaia (from the Greek Earth Goddess)

resonates with feminists as well as environmentalists

DEVELOPING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC

Attitude Schmatitude -- what should we DO!
Adopt a more frugal lifestyle

control population growth
practice conservation
limit development
get off the produce-consume treadmill