论生态中心主义的实践局限

On the practical limits of ecocentrism

基以利奥波德的大地伦理,克里考特所提出的整体主义环境伦理学亦即生态中心论旨在化解全球性的环境危机。在实践层面,这种环境伦理学以生态系统的健康作为最终判据,并展示了人与自然和谐共存的理想形态与方式。关于物种保护的立场,生态中心主义倾向"谨慎性"的态度。应该说,生态中心论对于当前的环境管理策略具有重要的借鉴意义,然而,它的实践体系也存在着自身的张力。分析指出,生态中心论以自然本底为参照的实践判据过于单薄,它无法肯定实践主体的道德性存在,也难以为物种保护提供坚实的伦理学依据。特别地,夯实生态中心主义的整体实践论需要对笼统的自然之"善"进行必要的限定。

Based upon Leopold＇s land ethic,Callicott proposes the holistic environmental ethic,namely ecocentrism,in order to resolve environmental crises on the global scale.On the practical level,this environmental ethic rests upon the criterion of ecosystem health,and Callicott expounds the ideal form of and means to harmonious coexistence of humans with nature.With respect to the issue of species protection,ecocentrism prefers an attitude of＂prudence＂.It should be admitted that ecocentrism provides a significant reference to the strategies of contemporary environmental management;however,the practical framework of ecocentrism also carries internal tensions.This paper reveals that the ecocentric criterion that is referred to as a baseline in nature is too weak to affirm the possible moral actualization of practical agents and to provide a sound ethical reason for species protection.In particular,the＂good＂of nature needs to be reasonably limited in order to strengthen the holistic practice of ecocentrism.