Environmental Ethics Vocab

Front 1

deep ecology

Back 1

we should care about the earth, not just for our needs but for its own sake; to care about one's self is to care about the earth; associated with Arne Naess

Front 2

land ethic

Back 2

our human ethic should be extended to include soils, waters, plants, and animals; it is wrong to destroy the integrity, stability, and beauty of a biotic community

Front 3

social ecology

Back 3

a democratic, egalitarian view that advocates enlightenment ideals along with a recognition of the importance of the encironment; opposes mystical, intuitionist, and misanthropic elements it discerns in deep ecology, ecofeminism, and elsewhere

Front 4

anthropocentrism

Back 4

all and only humans have moral standing; conserving for present or future generations of people

Front 5

utilitarianism

Back 5

an act is correct whenever it brings about the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness for all those affected by the action; may include non-humans

Front 6

biocentrism

Back 6

any living thing has moral standing; intrinsic value for all living things

Front 7

egalitarianism

Back 7

there are certain rights that one is entitled to; seeks action that expecially improves things for those who are worst off, making things equal

Front 8

intrinsic rights

Back 8

something has a right because of innate value for its own sake, instead of for instrumental use

Front 9

speciesism

Back 9

members of one species or their interests are more valuable than the interests of other species

Front 10

gaia theory

Back 10

the earth is alive and maintains a certain stability by means of positive or negative feedback between its living and nonliving elements

Front 11

preservation

Back 11

natural systems are to be protected from human use; popularized by those like John Muir and Aldo Leopold

Front 12

conservation

Back 12

natural systems are resources to be extracted and managed associated with Gifford Pinchot

Front 13

environmental holism

Back 13

not merely individual living things but certain sorts of "collective" entities also have moral standing, such as species or ecosystems

Front 14

ecofeminism

Back 14

there is an important connection between the domination of nature and the domination of women

Front 15

moral pluralism

Back 15

there is not a single moral principle or value but rather a small number of irreducible values or principles to which we should give weight in a decision making

Front 16

sentient

Back 16

capable of experienceing satisfaction or dissatisfaction

Front 17

taoism

Back 17

a "nature religion" where humans are urged to imitate nature and its harmony; nature has its own reality which humans can learn from