THE HUMAN

PERSON IN THEIR
ENVIRONMENT
A. APPROACHES
TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICS
 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
• It is the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral
relationship of human beings to, and also the value and
moral status of, the environment and its non-human
contents.”
• Different and contrasting views from various
philosophers and ethicists have given importance or
attached a moral value from wide range of candidates.
Their main concern is to justify why their chosen
candidate should be given moral standing or should be
attributed moral consideration in the field of
environmental ethics.
 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
• Among these candidates are: human, non-humans,
including higher form of animals, all living organisms to
include plants and holistic entities or communities like
ecosystem
 HUMANS- ANTHROPOCENTRISM
• Traditional anthropocentric views would consider
human beings as the center of moral consideration.
• “Our own good requires that we have due and wise
regard for animals and environment.
• Instead of dominion over nature, we are mere stewards
responsible for keeping the balance and beauty in
nature.
 LIVING ORGANISMS - BIOCENTRISM
• Biocentrism is the view that not only humans and
animals, but also plants should be morally considerable.
• They give due consideration to the preservation of
biodiversity with its plants and animals.
• Any interference with the fulfillment of an organism’s
goal or purpose is tantamount to harming that organism.
 NON-HUMANS (HIGHER FORMS OF
ANIMALS - PANTHOCENTRISM
• The realm of being morally considerable must be
extended to higher forms of animals or intelligent
animals like dogs and chimpanzee.
• “To give preference to the life of a being, simply
because that being is a member of our species would
put us in the same position as racists who give
preference to those who are members of their race.”
• TWO REASONS WHY ANIMALS SHOULD HAVE MORAL
CONSIDERATION:
1. Animals are sentient beings and they could feel pain.
2. Animals are morally considerable because they
possess inherent or intrinsic value
 HOLISTIC ENTITIES OR COMMUNITIES
(LAND ETHIC) - ECOCENTRISM
• Ecocentrism regards ecosystems as holistic entities that
should be given moral consideration.
• Leopold gives importance, not on individual moral
consideration, but a holistic regard for the biotic
community or ecological systems.
• A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,
stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong
when it tends to do otherwise.
B. THEORIES IN
RADICAL
ECOLOGICAL
PHILOSOPHY
 DEEP ECOLOGY
• Deep ecology emerged as a reaction to the shallow
ecological point of view.
• Assumes that all living things possess equal value and
intrinsic worth regardless of their usefulness or utility
to other beings.
• Proponent of deep ecology, Arne Naess believed that
human beings should look at the self as an extension of
nature.
 SOCIAL ECOLOGY
• Social ecology is an offshoot of the movement against
domination of existing hierarchical structures in
society that pre-empt the development of the full nature
of an individual.
• According to Murray Bookchin, proponent of social
ecology, the very notion of the domination of nature by
man stems from the very real domination of human by
human.
 ECOFEMINISM
• Ecological Feminism or Ecofeminism was a reaction
against male domination and the corresponding
oppression of women.
• Proponents of ecofeminism, believe that the problem in
our relationship with the environment is rooted on a
male-centered view of nature.
• Some ecofeminists assert that the deep ecology is a
representation of this male-centered view which, they
claim, is the source of environmental problems.
C. ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES
CLIMATE CHANGE: PRESENT CHALLENGE
• Climate change is indeed regarded as one of the major
environmental challenges that the world is facing today.
• Climate change is a threat to the world’s basic needs
since our key natural resources may affect our food and
water security.
PRESERVATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES: CONTINUING
CHALLENGE
• Endangered species are any kind of species that are at
risk of becoming extinct.
• To prevent this from happening to other endangered
species today it is important to bear in mind to protect
other living species on Earth.
WATER SCARCITY: EMERGING CHALLENGE
• Many nations around the world are now starting to feel
the imminent pressure brought about water-related
risks that slowly threaten their respective constituents.
• Ceres, a non-profit organization on sustainability
leadership, reported that the water risks due to global
warming like droughts and extreme floods are
becoming more and more severe in the recent years.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: FUTURE CHALLENGE
• Sustainable Development is defined as the
development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.
MAN’S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS.
• Everyone, being God’s steward, is called to respect our
ecology. Human Beings do not possess the right to destroy
nature.
• The misuse of creation begins when we no longer
recognize any higher instance than ourselves, when we
see nothing but ourselves.
• It is the time when we no longer see ourselves to be
“stewards” of the earth; the moment when we try to
dominate over our Mother Nature and be engulfed by our
selfish desires to rule the universe.
• We need to protect and preserve our planet because, in
one way or another, we too are guilty for turning a blind eye
to the steadily increasing destruction of our environment.
MAN’S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS.
• Pope Francis highlights man’s responsibility to care for the
environment by emphasizing “the relationship between
human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our
nature and is necessary for creation of a more dignified
environment.
• Br. Jaazeal Jakosalem, OAR offers some points that Pope
Francis stresses in order to achieve ecological
transformation. This ecological transformation can be
reached by way of the ff:
A. The need of a Global Consensus.
B. The need of a space for Dialogue for the sake of the
Common Good among Believers, Science, Ecological
Movements.
C. The need for immediate action.
D. The need for environmental education, for the first time,
the Church offers a comprehensive module that is both
formative and holistic.
E. The need for ecological faith, in the lights and shadows of
our climate action.

• The need to love and respect our environment – our

common home – for God’s sake who created us, and not to
subdue the earth but cultivate it, is our primary task as
“stewards” of the earth.