ethics and environment v01

8/2/2019 Ethics and Environment V01

1/12

Group No: 11


2/12

Difference between Nature and Environment

The Oxford English Dictionary defines environment as theobjects or the region surrounding anything,

Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the naturalworld, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to thephenomenon of the physical world, and also to life in general.

the moon, for example, is part of nature but not part of ourenvironment.

Environmental problems once people needed to be protected from nature, today nature

needs to be protected from people.

Questions of scale Local, Regional and Global

Types of harm Environmental problems primarily affect the quality of life for

human beings.

Threaten human health.


3/12

Causes of environmental problems

economic growth, population growth, urbanization, intensification ofagriculture, rising energy use and transportation. Poverty still remains a

problem at the root of several environmental problems The role of technology

solution to climate change a new generation of hydrogen-powered cars,decarbonizing coal, or even technologies that would allow us to geo-engineerthe climate.

The economic perspective

The real solution to environmental problems lies in restructuring the system ofeconomic incentives that has led to environmental destruction, and replacingit with a system that creates incentives for environmentally friendly behavior,including the development and use of green technologies.

Environmental problems, from the perspective of economics, concern theallocation of two types of scarce resources: sources and sinks.

Using the environment as a source or a sink typically degrades its ability to

function. Ethics, aesthetics, and values

When it comes to environmental problems it is clear that these includescientific, technological, and economic considerations, but they also includeconsiderations about ethics, values, and the aesthetic dimensions of theenvironment.


4/12

What is Human Morality?

Functions of Morality

Challenges to Morality

Amoralism

Theism

Relativism

Human Morality


5/12

Realism

Subjectivism

Sensible Center

Intrinisic Value

Structure

EthicalTheory

Meta

Ethics

MoralLanguage

Normative

Ethics

MoralTheory

PracticalEthics


6/12

What entity have more

status?&

To what degree they have it


7/12

Humans

anthropocentrism - ethical perspectives

Human Centric Approach

That means all other entity have only instrumental

values. Values determined by usefulness of human

beings

Do it means all other entities lack values in

themselves (intrinsic value )


8/12

What makes humans different from other animals?

why we treat humans and animals in different ways?

Humans and other animalsSpeciesism

How animals are part of human life? They are

worshiped and respected, but also hunted.

source of inspiration, but also of protein

No longer sacrificed for religious purposes in most

societies, but still routinely killed and made to suffer in scientific and medical research,

producing new cosmetics and household products.


9/12

Humans and other animals

Humans are members of the moral community whileother animals are not.

Members of the moral community have moral

standing; they are morally Considerable.

MoralCommunity

MoralAgent

MoralPatient

someone who

has moral

obligations

someone to whom

obligations are owed

e.g. : Newborn infants and

severely brain-damaged

humans


10/12


11/12

Holistic approach required for multiple problems. Pollution , climate

change, global warming, decreasing environmental productivity, ozonedepletion, decreasing biodiversity, infectious diseases.

Change inevitable now. Adoption now definite part of strategy.

I=PAT (Impact = Population * affluence * technology )

Regional variations. Tragedy of commons.

Question of justice. Polluter pays principle, equitable distribution, transferof technology and resources, strict legally binding laws and targets,increased international cooperation, voice of minority, concern for futuregenerations, reciprocation.

Role of international bodies. Dual standards/policies. Political factors.Influence of USA.

Efforts taken: Brundlent commission, Earth summit, Kyoto protocol,Montreal protocol, Agenda 21

India and china : unique position . Nearly one third of global population,increasing strategic importance, influence on world economy and yetbiggest polluters.

Natures future


12/12

Future entwined with nature.

Cooperation indispensable.

Common mitigation strategies required.

Change inevitable , but still not touched the tipping point. Its still possible.

Its not Nature vs Man, but Man vs Man.

Vision of the future.

ethics and environment v01

Documents