Creating an Environmental Ethic Essay

“The modern form of the word environment comes from an older word that we hardly use anymore: environ, to surround, to form a ring around, to encircle” (Stoll 3). The meaning of the word environment did not become a major factor in the lives of humanity until 1945. The tragic events that led to the end of World War II sparked a chief movement in history: American Environmentalism. Global decision-making changed as well as human unity due to the mere purpose that fate of all people and the environment became intertwined (Stoll 1). I will further discuss the dramatic attempts made by some Americans to bring the importance of preserving our environment to the surface to show if and how we have evolved.

Growing up in Switzerland and Oregon, I learned that nature is greatly valued and it is necessary to respect the environment to prevent impending environmental collapse. Living in a society whose morals and ethics include

In Paul Taylor’s essay, “The Ethics for Respect for Nature,” he argues that… In this paper I will first describe Taylor’s concept of “respect for nature.” I will then explain the part this attitude plays in rationally grounding a biocentric outlook on environmental ethics. Lastly, I will present Rosalind Hursthouse’s criticism of Taylor’s view, and state how Taylor might respond to this criticism.

Environmental scanning can be viewed as a way of acquiring information about outside events that can aid organizations in first identifying potential trends, then interpreting them

21st century industrialization has a global impact by creating ecological and societal imbalances stemming from its nature to enervate resources and manual labor. The start of industrialization was a way to implement efficiency into mass production, ultimately creating opportunities for jobs and maximizing profit gains for companies. In today’s world, its toll on the environment and the way it shapes society becomes increasingly apparent and irreversible. Therefore, as society acknowledges these effects, changes have been made to address these issues.

Nature is not altered by humanity and instead is pure, creating inspiration for people to be original. Nature is “the greatest delight which the fields and woods minister, in the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable” (Nature 221). People who believe in transcendence see the importance

The first thing comes to mind when discussing about nature is a pure sanctuary that is untouched, remote, and wild. The general perception will agree that nature is the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of earth, as opposed to humans or human creations. However, there is misconception with the definition. Nature is not merely a wilderness life and transcendent landscape. Are we human also nature? If yes, how do we fit in the scheme of nature? This same question challenges the perception about nature in general.

In life we are all confronted with the idea of nature along with society. Although both have their pros and cons they work together to give us freedom and order among individuals.

Take a second to close your eyes and envision yourself on a beach in the Caribbean islands. You are laying on the sand, a soft white powder that heats your body on contact. You hear the repeating rhythm of the majestically moving waves as they collide with the shore. The brisk smell of ocean air and the pulsing warmth of the sun wraps you in its arms like a mother swaddling her newborn. Now open your eyes and realize how at peace you are; Nature can bring you enlightenment, it can also be considered a religion or an oath to live by. We encounter nature in our everyday life. The cotton we wear, the food and water we consume, and the materials of our daily routine all originate from the earth. We cannot survive in our world without nature looking over us, providing us and influencing our habits. Although people say we are apart from nature, we are, in fact one with nature because we feel its presence in more ways than one.

Within both Philosophy and religion there are many examples of humankind’s obligation towards the natural world and as such the role humanity ought to play in environmental conservation. According to the book: “Environmental Ethics:”

White’s thesis in The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis states that in order to confront the expanding environmental crises, humans must begin to analyze and alter their treatment and attitudes towards nature. The slow destruction of the environment derives from the Western scientific and technological advancements made since the Medieval time period. “What people do about their ecology depends on what they think about themselves in relation to things around them” (RON p.7). Technology and science alone will not be able to save humans until we adjust the way of thinking and suppress the old ideas of humans power above nature. Instead, we need to learn how to think of ourselves as being

Ethics is the study of what is right and wrong in human conduct. Environmental ethics studies the effects of human’s moral relationships on the environment and everything within it (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2008). The ethical principles that govern those relations determine human duties, obligations, and responsibilities with regard to the Earth’s natural environment and all of the animals and plants that inhabit it (Taylor, 1989). The purpose of this paper is to reveal environmental issues that are threatening the existence of life on Earth, and discus our social obligations to refrain from further damaging our environment, health and life for future generations. I will discus the need for appropriate actions and the ethical

Paul W. Taylor was a philosopher most known for his work in the field of environmental ethics. In 1996, Taylor published Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics, in which he argues for the theory of Biocentrism. Biocentrism is an "attitude of respect for nature", whereby one attempts to make an effort to live one 's life in a way that respects the welfare and inherent worth of all living creatures. This egalitarian theory is a biologically-informed, philosophical worldview about humans, nature, and the place of human civilization in the natural world. Taylor uses the theory to create a model for the equal consideration of all sentient beings based on a conceptual shift that the mental state of an organism’s well-being is it’s ability to realize biological powers.

Environmental ethics are based on moral relations that hold between human and the natural world (Paul, 1986). In environmental ethics people are extending the ethics to the environment by the exercise of self–restraint (Roderick, 1989). The ethical principles that governs the relations of humans and nature determine human duties, obligations and responsibilities with regard to the Earth’s natural environment and all the animals and plants that inhabit the nature (Paul, 1986). Environmental ethics has evolved to the point where many scientists believe they have a major responsibility to help society deal with the human predicament (Paul 2002). Most of the environmental ethics are through anthropocentrism.

Environmental problems are something which belongs to nature or known as “Mother Earth” [13]. Nature was created to help people survive from gathering foods until build a house. This phenomenon happens continuously without thinking how much damage that nature has because human’s fault. Nature gradually becomes worse and animal’s life in danger. People who are aware of the importance of nature react. Those people do several ways to save the environment. Although these efforts can return back the environment, these efforts only can be hold temporarily. This problem happens because those people who are aware of the environment only slightly; for remaining, there are people either do not know or do not care about the nature. People’s efforts