ENV222H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Encyclical, Ecocentrism, Ecosystem Services
9 May 2018
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ENV222 Lecture 2 - Jan 16
ENVIRONMENT AS A MORAL PROBLEM
➢ What are environmental problems
▪ Dealing from moral and values views
o Environmental problems can be defined as those problems that arise from human dealings
with the natural world and its systems
▪ Created through iteratios of huas ith the eiroet if there’s o
huas, there ould’t e a prole
▪ Scale of unintended consequences -To what other species yield
o How should we approach the environment?
▪ Individual action may not yield enough to tackle with climate change
▪ Individual can do very little in terms of global scale
▪ Causes have expanded in scale: globalization
▪ Power relations: global south and north – its political scale
➢ How do we perceive the environment?
o A perceived environment is that which is formed by the thoughts and acts of individuals
▪ Definition is intuitive
o When people talk about their environment, they are often referring to their surroundings
▪ More complicated: what scale is your surrounding? (city, world, room?)
▪ What they identify with – sense of belonging? familiar territory?
• Forces of globalization
➢ Environment as an objective system
o An objective system of nature supplies the shared settings of our lives, and the basis for
perceived environments
▪ Objective system always does’t suit hua iterests or ofort
▪ BUT Comprises the public goods that are necessary for our survival, wellbeing
• Air, water
▪ Make it possible to experience what we value in our lives
➢ Earth’s 4 spheres
o Atmosphere
o Geosphere – earth’s surfae ad eeath
o Hydrosphere – all types of water
o Biosphere – all living things on earth
➢ Important definitions
o MORALS = the distinction between right and wrong
o VALUES = the ultimate worth of actions or things
o INTRINSIC VALUE = value of a life form just because it exists, regardless of whether it has any
usefulness to us
o INSTRUMENTAL VALUE = value of a life form because of its usefulness to us or the biosphere
o WORLDVIEW = a perso/group’s eliefs aout the eaig, purpose, operatio ad essee
of the world
o ETHICS = a discipline that deals with how we value and perceive our environment. Etjics
influence our decisions and actions. Sub discipline of philosophy that looks at ethics
o MORAL STANDING = status of an eni=tity by virtue of which it is deserving of consideration
in moral decision –making
o MORAL IMPERATIVE = a strongly-felt principle that compels person to act
➢ Environmental worldviews: 3 components
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Individual action may not yield enough to tackle with climate change. Individual can do very little in terms of global scale: causes have expanded in scale: globalization, power relations: global south and north its political scale. Earth"s 4 spheres: atmosphere, geosphere earth"s surfa(cid:272)e a(cid:374)d (cid:271)e(cid:374)eath, hydrosphere all types of water, biosphere all living things on earth. Important definitions: morals = the distinction between right and wrong, values = the ultimate worth of actions or things. Intrinsic value = value of a life form just because it exists, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to us. We can and should make the world a better place for our species and others though love, care, knowledge and technology: emphasis on good management and ethical responsibilities. Still anthropocentric, but there is a moral obligation. Instead of adapting earth for our needs, we should be adapting our need to the environment, in order to secure a sustainable: thinking about our own future.
