PHIL 2270 Lecture 12: Environmental Virtues
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
“Linking Environmental Ethics with Virtue Ethics” – Ronald Sandler
1) The moral character traits of an environmentally virtuous person:
• According to Sandler, the environmentally virtuous person responds to the
environment and the non-humans that populate it in an ‘excellent way.’
• Sandler claims that there are several strategies for specifying exactly what
environmental virtue is:
• First, one could simply extend the concept of virtue that applies to the
relationship between humans to a concept of virtue that applies to non-humans.
E.g., compassion. It is a virtue to be compassionate to other humans who are
suffering. Given that animals suffer, it is therefore virtuous to be compassion to
nonhuman animals who are suffering.
E.g., gratitude. It is a virtue to be grateful to another human for benefits, and so
we should also be grateful to nature for benefits we derive from it (such as
sustenance).
• Second, virtue involves interacting with the environment in a way that benefits
oneself.
These benefits include clean water, air and aesthetic benefits such as beauty
and a space to grow as a person. These benefits justify a disposition of
conserving nature.
• Third, environmental virtue could be understand in terms of what contributes to
human excellence. What makes a person a good human being is being
consistent with nature.
• Fourth, environmental virtue could be understood in terms of being a good role
model for others – so that key environmentalists are virtuous in the sense that they
serve as role models for how others should interact with nature and the
environment.
2) The Role of Environmental Virtue in an Environmental Ethics
• What is the relationship between environmental virtue and right action?
• Some philosophers argue that a theory of moral character is subordinate to a
theory of right action – that is, determine which actions are right with respect to
nature, and then foster a moral character that gives rise to such actions.
• On the other hand, Sandler argues that environmental virtue fosters right action –
so that action is subordinate to virtue.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Sandler claims that there are several strategies for specifying exactly what environmental virtue is: First, one could simply extend the concept of virtue that applies to the relationship between humans to a concept of virtue that applies to non-humans. It is a virtue to be compassionate to other humans who are suffering. Given that animals suffer, it is therefore virtuous to be compassion to nonhuman animals who are suffering. It is a virtue to be grateful to another human for benefits, and so we should also be grateful to nature for benefits we derive from it (such as sustenance). Second, virtue involves interacting with the environment in a way that benefits oneself. These benefits include clean water, air and aesthetic benefits such as beauty and a space to grow as a person. These benefits justify a disposition of conserving nature. Third, environmental virtue could be understand in terms of what contributes to human excellence.
