Environmental Ethics Free Essay Example

The issue of environmental ethics revolves around the question of ‘exactly who and what has rights’. Basically, there are three approaches to this question: Shallow ecology claims that only human have rights, that provision of care for the environment depends on what serves human interests. On the other extreme end, there is deep ecology, which claims that all systems have rights. In the middle ground ecology claim only certain animals have rights.

For shallow ecology, some adopt Anthropocentrism, which believes that humans are considered at the center of, and above any other aspect of reality.

However, there are two polarized opinions to this view – while anthropocentrism could imply that environmental damage is justifiable if human benefits from it, it could also reinforce the preservation of a healthy, sustainable environment for the sake of human well-being. The latter opinion is supported by John Passmore, who argued that it is vital we protect the environment in order to sustain conditions necessary for human life.

Nature has instrumental value to human beings – it offers recreational, material and medicinal benefits. Thus, pollution or any form of destruction to the environment is deemed wrong, as it will reduce our living standards. Thus, it is right that we should preserve the environment for ourselves and our future generations. Shallow ecology offers an interesting approach in measuring the monetary value of preserving the environment in the form of a “cost benefit analysis”.

Preserving the environment is obviously at a cost, which in economic terms is known as an opportunity cost.

For example, if we decide to conserve a rainforest, the next best alternative (e. g. building houses) for that area of land would be forgone. Thus, it is crucial that we weigh the human benefits with monetary cost before making pivotal decisions concerning the use of natural resources. However, there are several key problems faced when using a cost-benefit analysis.

One question posed would be “how far in the future do we measure up the costs and benefits? ” From a short-term perspective, calculations of costs/benefits may only aim to benefit the current generation. This may be at the expense of human beings and animals in the future. Also, another consideration to take into account would be the sustainability of the environment. Since resources in the environment are limited and finite, the current generation would have to compromise their lifestyles to achieve sustainability.