环境伦理学研究中的几种伦理境界及其意义

Several Ethic Realms and Their Significance in Studies of Environmental Ethics

环境伦理学的产生和发展来自对西方传统伦理学的批判和超越。从对传统的强人类中心主义的伦理学的批判到弱人类中心主义的伦理学,西方传统伦理学不得不将自然资源和环境纳入到伦理学的研究视域中,体现了人们对生态环境的伦理应对,这无疑是人的伦理境界的进步。而从动物解放/权利论到生物平等主义、再到生态整体主义,伦理的对象已逐步从人及其社会扩展到了动物界、生物界以及整个生态系统;尽管这使人在自然中的地位越来越低,但人的伦理境界也在被不断提升,充分展示了人的伦理潜力和对人与自然和谐关系的伦理追求,体现了人对自身的超越,也为生态环境问题的最终解决提供了伦理支持。

Criticizing and surmounting the Western traditional ethics result in the birth and development of environmental ethics. Criticisms from strong anthropocentrism to weak anthropocentrism force Western traditional ethics to involve natural resources and environment in studies of ethics, which embodies the ethical response of human being to ecological environment and is undoubtedly a great advance of human ethic level. From the theory of animal liberation, equality of living creatures, to the theory of ecological integrity, ethical objects have gradually expanded from human race to animals, all living creatures and even the ecosystem. Man＇s lower position in nature and higher ethical level indicate his ethical potential as well as ethical pursuit of the harmony between nature and man which offer ethical basis for the ultimate solution to ecological problems.