Environmental Ethics Notes

Environmental Philosophy and Ethics

Assessing the Ecological Crisis

  • The Root Question: What is to blame for our current environmental crises?
    • Is there an environmental crisis? Why or why not?
    • How does it manifest?
    • Which human activities contribute to it?

Lynn White Jr.'s Thesis

  • Publication: In 1967, historian Lynn White Jr. published 'The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis.'
  • Main Argument: The Western Christian worldview promotes humanity's aggressive exploitation of nature.

Biblical Texts and Dominion

  • Genesis 1:26, 28: God grants humans dominion over all living things.
    • "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth…subdue it."
  • Genesis 2:15: Humans are tasked to "work and keep" the Garden of Eden.
  • Proverbs 12:10: Righteous individuals have regard for the lives of their animals.
  • Numbers 35:33: Pollution of the land is prohibited.

White's Detailed Argument

  • Shift in Worldview: Indigenous people viewed nature as sacred, inhabited by spirits.
  • Christianity's Impact: Christianity replaced this with the idea that everything was made for human benefit and rule.
  • Humanity's Role: Humans are uniquely made in God's image with dominion over the earth.

Critique of Christianity

  • Dualism: Christianity established a dualism between humans and nature, advocating exploitation for human ends.
  • Anthropocentrism: White argues Christianity is the most human-centered religion, leading to a technological conquest of nature.
  • Burden of Guilt: Christianity 'bears a huge burden of guilt' for the environmental crisis.

White's Proposed Solution

  • Rejection of Secularism: White does not see secularism as the solution.
  • Radical Change: He calls for a radical change within Christianity itself.
  • Beliefs and Ecology: What people believe about their relationship with the environment deeply conditions human ecology.
  • New Religion or Rethinking: The solution involves finding a new religion or rethinking the old one, emphasizing equality of all creation.

Contrasting Religious Views

  • Islam (Stewardship):
    • Humans are God’s stewards, tasked with maintaining balance.
    • Hadith teachings emphasize conservation, tree planting, and sustainable water use.
    • Organizations like IFEES promote eco-friendly practices based on Islamic teachings.
  • Hinduism:
    • Nature is sacred, with rivers, mountains, and animals revered.
    • Ahimsa (non-violence) encourages harmony with all living beings, promoting vegetarianism and ecological responsibility.
    • Karma aligns with environmental responsibility, emphasizing long-term consequences of actions.
  • Buddhism:
    • Interconnectedness supports ecological balance.
    • The Middle Way promotes moderation and simple living to reduce harm.
    • Figures like the Dalai Lama advocate for environmental activism as part of spiritual practice.
  • Indigenous and African Traditional Religions:
    • Nature is sacred, inhabited by spirits.
    • Rituals and conservation practices prevent resource over-exploitation.
    • Community-centered ethics emphasize collective responsibility.

St. Francis of Assisi

  • White's Recommendation: Christians should follow St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226).
  • Panpsychism: St. Francis had a view of nature based on panpsychism.
  • Holistic View: Embracing a holistic, symbiotic view of humanity's relation to nature can help save our world.

Responses to White

  • Lewis Moncrief's Response: White's argument is overly simplistic and attributes blame solely to Judeo-Christian teachings.
  • Complex Web of Forces: Attitudes are shaped by democracy, technology, urbanization, and an aggressive attitude toward nature.

Unanswered Questions

  • Does lack of association with spiritual beings in nature equate to exploitation?
  • Is there less environmental degradation in non-Christian cultures?

Moncrief’s Sociological Explanation

  • Democracy and Redistribution: The rise of democracy after the French Revolution redistributed the means of production and wealth.
  • Technological Advancement: Growth in natural science led to high productive capacity.
  • Commercial Scale Production: Resulted in the production of goods on a commercial scale.
  • Urbanization: Demand for labor caused migration and urbanization.
  • Growing Affluence: Led to growing demand for goods and services.
  • Waste as a By-Product: Created the problem of waste disposal and pollution, aided by a belief that natural resources are inexhaustible.

Key Features of Current Situation (Moncrief)

  • Absence of Personal Moral Direction:
    • Costs of actions on society.
    • Self-interests and shifting production costs to society.
    • Ignorance and poor cost-benefit analysis.
  • Institutional Inadequacies:
    • Abuse of resources with low economic value (tragedy of the commons).
    • Lack of political will.
  • Abiding Faith in Technology:
    • Widespread belief that technology can overcome any problem.
    • Appreciating technology is different from viewing it as a savior.

Discussion Questions

  1. Argue in support of White’s argument on our current ecological crisis.
  2. Argue AGAINST White’s argument on our current ecological crisis.
  3. With so much evidence, why do you think people/nations are not taking the environmental crisis seriously?
  4. In African context, what are the contributing factors for the current ecological crisis?