When humanity decides to use natural resources to improve the quality of life, the usual philosophical principle used to justify such act is the anthropocentrism, which is a human-centered perspective. By human centered we mean that it cares less to the welfare of the environment and gives considerable degree of consideration to human benefits. The result of the application of this principle without giving head to environmental ethics is the abuse of nature and the eventual downfall of the entire human civilization.
While, one may be prone to believe that it will be nature, alone, that will be adversely affected by anthropocentrism, deeper analysis shows that human will also be adversely affected in the end. Such adverse effects include economic, social, health, and environmental problems. Accordingly, global warming, decrease in wilderness areas, ozone depletion, and problems with waste disposal and pollution are on their way towards making life hard for everybody in this world. Global warming is slowly increasing the sea level drowning numerous habitable islands, changing weather patterns, causing damage to the diverse forms of life, and causing a rapid decrease in diversity. Ozone depletion is causing the increase in risk in contracting skin disease and is also contributing significantly to the increase of global temperatures. Waste disposal problems and pollution are also causing problems on social relations between states and nations – it also puts the people’s health in jeopardy. Lastly, decrease in the size of wilderness areas is causes a reduction in the number of different organism found on such areas.
In order to avoid the eventual downfall of humanity, we must take heed to environmental ethics. We must use natural resources based from what they can supply without adversely affecting their capacities to supply further for the future generations. We must assess the cost benefits of using these natural resources by determining the pros and cons associated with using them.
Slide 1:
4 environmental perspectives
- Anthropocentrism
- Ecocentrism
- Deep Ecology
- Ecofeminism
Slide 2:
Intrinsic value vs. Instrumental value
Cost-benefit analysis
- Evaluate competing interest & diverse values
- Assess & compare harms or costs and benefits
- Greater net balance of benefits over costs
Slide 3:
Anthropocentrism
- Human-centered perspective
- Only humans have intrinsic value
- Nature has no value in itself
- Nature’s value linked to its usefulness
Slide 4:
Global Warming
- Industrial gases like carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere
- Gases heat-up the earth’s crust
- Causes damages to livestock, plant life, and other organisms
- Weather becomes unpredictable
Slide 5:
Ozone Depletion
- The catalytic thinning of the ozone layer due to substances such as chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs
- Results to increase intensity of UV rays penetrating the earth’s atmosphere
- Causes diverse kinds of skin diseases to both humans, and animals
- Helps in the heating-up of the earth’s crust
Slide 6
Waste Disposal and Pollution
- More trash is generated compared to the amount that landfills can accommodate
- Results to dumping on rivers and lakes
- Causes health concerns to the public near the polluted areas
- Causes catastrophes during floods
Slide 7
Wilderness Preservation
- Wilderness are encroached upon by fuel oil industries
- Results to reduction of the size of the wilderness areas and the habitat for the organisms that live there
