Studied by 6 people
fuck this class lowkey
what is speciesism?
peter singer
If all beings have the capacity to experience suffering, and if animals are capable of suffering, Then we should treat animals with the same dignity and respect with which we treat humans.
used racism as a comparison point
What is Deep Ecology?
arne naess
nature has technical problems w/ technical solutions
promotes rejecting consumption-driven lifestyle, capitalism, technology worship
life w/ it would include: less material goods, more organic things, ride-sharing, ‘going green’
what are biocentric ethics?
In this approach to environmental ethics, nature is seen as having intrinsic value (not just a tool)
What are anthropocentric ethics?
the environment should only be a moral responsibility if it benefits humans - nature has an instrumental value
What is Dominion Theology?
The Biblical God declares that the non-human world is created for human use and should be dominated by humans.
What are some problems with speciesism as a concept?
Speciesism is not comparable to racism and sexism, because…
“Animals are in fact different from human beings in ways that could be morally relevant”
Hence, "All suffering is not equal"
What is a utilitarian view on the issues with treating animals equally to humans?
Limitations on medical research and consequently a decline in progress in medical treatment
Food supply in impoverished countries is lowered signifigantly
Caring more about humans is an ethical position and is earned by other humans
In the essay by William Baxter, his position reflects…
a view of nature as having instrumental value
Who is Lynn White & what were their positions?
how we treat the environment is not just a matter of science and technology
how we treat the environment is based on how we view the world, spiritually and philosophically
The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis (1967) - one of the first attempts 2 examine how our worldview influences our treatment of the natural world
the de-sacrilization of nature (nature is no longer spiritually relevant)
dominion theology (non-human world is for human use according to god)
Who is Ramachandra Guha and what were their positions?
Deep Ecology environmentalism is a "first-world luxury"
Deep Ecology environmentalism ignores the issue of justice to under-developed populations
the real issues are capitalistic overconsumption and militarism
Who is Arne Naess and what were their positions?
Founder of Deep Ecology, 1973
the root of our environmental crisis is philosophical and spiritual
“traditional” environmentalist - issues were technical problems w/ technical solutions.
holism ; connectedness of all living beings
Who is William Baxter and what were their positions?
nature has an instrumental value - all decisions regarding environmental issues should be based on human interest
nature has no morality attached to it
anthropocentric (whatever’s good for humans is good for the environment)
What was Judith Jarvis Thomson’s position on abortion?
the owner of your body apartment complex, baby is just a tenant analogy
“what is a right to life?”
Having a right to life does not guarantee having a right to use of or a right to be allowed continued use of another person’s body – even if one needs it for life itself.
What is Don Marquis’ opinion on abortion?
Abortion is always immoral
it’s depriving someone of a future life
Even if it’s not a “person” at the time of the abortion, it is destined to become a person, with all that that entails
What is Mannien’s position on abortion?
Women do have a moral right to choose
abortion, to control what is in their body, BUT that doesn’t mean every instance of using that right is moral
each abortion has to be evalued morally - dependent on circumstances
What might someone who’s pro-life argue for?
abortion is a slippery slope - what is the value of a life?
causes psychological damage to the woman (shame, regret, etc)
abortion alternatives (adoption, etc)
women should be responsible for their own sexual behavior
What were the 3 main opinions in the 60’s on sex ethics?
john finnis - traditionalist. sex only in marriage. religious
john corvino - sex as an expression of human intimacy. moral, not religious
alan goldman - sex as sex. nor moral or religious
What are some main points in Alan Goldman’s “Plain Sex” ?
goldman criticizes mean-end analyses (i.e. the purpose/end of sex is reproduction, expression of love, communication, interpersonal awareness)
Goldman claims that a sexual act is merely the expression of love in a physical form.
What was Peter Hershock’s thesis?
exposure to media restructures consciousness (values, thoughts expectations) in a detrimental way
manufactured desires
happiness comes from the acquisision of material goods
false sense of control over life
future-oriented consciousness (happiness never found in the present moment)
desensitization
expportation and colonization of consciousness (values only shaped by media)
Who was Adam Smith and what were their positions?
invented capitalism
the wealth of nations (1776)
free market economic theory, the invisible hand (self-regulating nature of a market thats based on self-interest)
What are some ethical justifications for capitalism?
maximizes individual freedom
competition increases greater overall wealth (wealth of nations)
hard work is rewarded accordingly
Who was Karl Marx and what were their positions?
invented socialism
das kapital & the communist manifesto
thought capitalism was alienating and the wealth was unevenly distributed, owner/worker class conflict, etc
What was Robert Nozick’s stance on distributive justice?
economy is just as long as the process (means by which citizens seek wealth) is fair
results don’t determine justness of an economy
argues taxation is equivalent to forced labor
What was John Rawls stance on distributive justice?
justice as a fair, primary value
“original position of equal and the veil of ignorance”
the wealth of nations essay ( explain how free market capitalism worked effectively despite the absence of any governmental source of oversight and control)
Who is Bonnie Steinbook and what were their positions?
didnt agree with Peter Singer’s speciesism - wasn’t comparable to racism/sexism because animals are different from human beings in ways that could be morally relevant
hence, all suffering is not equal
human beings have a moral worth that non-human animals don’t, because:
moral autonomy
reciprocity
desire for self-respect
What are two different uses in bio-technology?
theraputic
enhancement
explain the difference between bio-conservatives and trans/post-humanists.
bioconservatives:
something uniquely human is being lost
it’s not “natural”
trans/post-humanists:
evoloution never stops, even if humans accelerate it themselves
humans are a transitional species, just like every other one
something lost, but something gained
The Singularity
the point when humans become a different species
Who is Leon Kass and what were their positions?
Argued against post-humanism
ageless bodies, happy souls
argued that the value of aging and working thru hardships makes the world what it is, and a world full of nothing but the bright, attractive and talented would be boring
safety, unfair advantage, freedom and coercion
the natural repugnance factor
“modesty born of gratitude for the world’s giveness”
Who wrote Reflections on the New Tasks of Ethics and what was it about?
Hans Jonas
main thesis: all previous ethical theories fall short as guides for actions today, because the nature of human action has changed
technological action was ethically neutral bc it raised no risk to permanently injure nature; nature was a tool to survive.
ethics concerned only intra-human affairs (the city)
human nature wasnt considered changeable by tech
Who wrote THE COLONIZATION
OF CONSCIOUSNESS and what was it about?
peter hershock
this essay was about the mass mediated colonization of consciousness leading to the realization of
‘technotopia’- a world in which we will know no gall
ing hardship, no agonizing disappointments, no
shortages, and no sense of loss.
Note 
Flashcard (135)