Environmental Ethics - Essay Example

Environmental Virtues and Vices Environmental ethics is the exploration of how we feel about our necessary and unavoidable relationship with the environment in which we live. At one point in human history, there was absolutely no avoiding the processes of nature as it dictated every facet of daily living and long-term survival. Today, many people living in the city and spending much of their time in climate-controlled environments find it easy to forget their inherent connection to the natural world and their dependence upon it for the things they pick up in the grocery store or at the corner restaurant. A great deal of how we feel about our connection to the environment is based upon our conceptions of inherent worth and our dedication to these conceptions. Inherent worth refers to the worth of something simply because it exists – a particular animal is important to us simply because it lives for example. Our concepts of inherent worth determine to a great deal how much or even if we give much consideration to the environment and how we should respond to it. In addition, there are several character traits that can be considered environmental virtues in that they help us achieve a closer connection with the environment and a greater sense of responsibility in caring for it. By the same token, there are several character traits that can be considered environmental vices in that they tend to work against our best efforts concerning the environment, causing us to reduce or even cease any efforts we consider in attempting to help the environment. In considering these potential virtues and vices, I believe caring is our greatest virtue while fear is our greatest vice. The environmental virtue that I believe is particularly important is the virtue of care. Care is essentially the single application of Thomas Aquinas’ cardinal virtue of justice. According to Aquinas, “justice directs man in his relations to others according to some kind of equality or rightness” (Mage, 1999). For many people today, the concept of applying justice to what they consider mere objects such as trees, plants and small animals seems absurd. Many people today adopt a more anthropomorphic attitude toward life in which only the needs and desires of mankind are important. From an anthropomorphic perspective, if the object in question is a member of the human species, it is considered to have inherent worth. If it is not, its worth is either not recognized at all (strong anthropomorphism) or is recognized as existing, but at a much lower level than the worth of the human (weak anthropomorphism). “This suggests that nonhumans intrinsically matter some, and thus weak anthropocentrism is not compatible with strong anthropocentrism for it claims only humans matter” (Hettinger, 2005). In both systems, though, there is a sense that the survival of humans depends, at least to some degree, upon the survival of other elements of the environment, such as clean water, stable food supplies and a specific temperature range. Thus, caring about the environment can be achieved even if it is only in the context of preserving one’s own comfort for even the most selfish individuals and is thus a virtue that can carry a great deal of weight for positive change. In assessing this virtue, it seems the largest vice opposing it is the environmental vice of fear. Summaries of scientific studies on environmental conditions such as that found in Williams (2007) reveal that much of what scientists are reporting regarding the state of our environment is relatively dire. Articles published as early as 2005 say the forces of global warming are already working to melt the ice caps, raise sea levels and poison our air (Global Warming, 2005). Faced with these kinds of predictions, we have no choice but to fear for our future and the future of our children. Keith Warner (2009) indicates that people are quickly immobilized by feelings of fear or hopelessness. If we become fearful that we cannot make any meaningful change in the environment, we become quick to abandon any attempt to preserve what can be saved. We throw in the towel and determine to just enjoy what we can for as long as we can. This is the most dangerous vice because it immobilizes any chance of making a difference. Because we feel inadequate as an individual to bring about any change, we fail to make the effort to begin with. ^^^ indicates that change requires at least one person to start the motion, but fear can keep that one person from even starting. Without the one person to start the motion, no one else moves forward either. This vice can only be counteracted by commitment to courage and hope, believing that one action in the right direction, once started, will spur others to join the cause and bring about real, effective change. This success then bolsters the necessary courage for each participant to then take steps of their own and thus inspire yet more individuals to do what they can. The two environmental character traits discussed here can end up working against each other. Caring for the environment is easy on an abstract level as one begins to consider the inherent worth of other living things. If one adopts a more encompassing attitude, such as considering that all living things have some form of inherent worth, it is easier to begin caring for these things and act accordingly to preserve them. However, if one adopts an attitude that the only things containing inherent worth on the planet are human beings, such as in the anthropomorphic attitude, this task becomes more difficult. Yet even this can be worked to advantage. If one cares enough about one’s own preservation and the preservation of one’s descendents, this character trait can go a long way toward encouraging one to participate in environmental preservation. On the other hand, if one has the common character trait of fear, by which many people lose their inspiration to take action, caring may not be enough to inspire the action necessary to encourage others. People are always fearful of making the first move or of working futilely for something that is now impossible. Scientific reports and the magnitude of the problem coupled with powerful corporate lobby groups pushing for the lifting of restrictions rather than the creation of greater restrictions can easily overwhelm the individual tentatively attempting to make a difference. Fear is a powerful emotion that can keep us from taking the first step, but once that first step is taken, others find it easier to follow. By allowing our sense of caring to overwhelm any sense of fear that we might fail, we can each begin taking small steps toward preserving and protecting our environment and thus get greater numbers of people trying as well. Thousands of people trying are going to accomplish much more than a single person doing. Works Cited “Global Warming Puts the Arctic on Thin Ice.” Natural Resources Defense Council. (November 22, 2005). June 9, 2009 Hettinger, Ned. “The Question of Moral Standing or Intrinsic Value and the Anthropomorphic Answer.” Environmental Ethics. Spring, 2005. June 9, 2009 Mage, Joseph M. “Debitum and Personae: The Metaphysical Foundation of Justice.” Thomistic Philosophy Page. (1999). June 9, 2009 Warner, Keith Douglass. “Environmental Virtue Ethics.” A Short Course in Environmental Ethics. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics: Santa Clara University, May 2009. June 9, 2009 Williams, Sandra. “Global Warming Predictions.” Suite 101. (September 13, 2007). June 9, 2009 < http://climate-change.suite101.com/article.cfm/global_warming_predictions> Read More