The Ethics of Environmental Preservation at the Confluence of the Traditional Approach and Current Challenges

The accumulation of environmental problems,but also the ever-increasing impetuosity with which they manifest,led,starting in 1970,to the need for the emergence and development of a new branch of traditional ethics.Environmental ethics is concerned with finding answers to ethical questions circumscribed to the sphere of human relations with the non-human part of nature.The new field has proven to be an active involvement factor in promoting human values that emphasize the human-environment relationship.Many environmental ethicists believe that the non-human universe has value per se.The article undertakes a theoretical approach that tries to capture the relevant aspects of the efforts by which environmental ethicists combine their activity with other entities,responsible structures,in the collective intervention approach to improve environmental problems.

Survey of Environmental Ethics on Project Activities

The concepts of project activity and environmental ethics are analyzed. It indicates that project activity is a kind of ＂creation＂ event transforming nature, and is bound to generate a series of bad consequences, such as environmental pollution, biosphere destruction, natural resource waste and ignoring ecological value. Environmental ethics takes natural environment as research object, advocates valuing nature own value, and initiates concerning ethical responsibility of project activity on natural environment. Finally, we put forward countermeasures to ethical issues, such as sustainable development and enhancing ethic education of project.

East Asian Cultural Perspective of Contemporary Environmental Ethics

In the study of contemporary environmental ethics,some new trends of thought in East Asian cultural perspectives have emerged,which are of great value for further coordinating the relationship between human and nature.Although the Western non-anthropocentrism environmental ethics has played a positive role in environmental protection,it also has various shortcomings in theory and practice.It needs to supplement and improve with the new environmental ethics of East Asian culture.These environmental ethics thoughts based on the traditional view draw on the perspectives of Western phenomenology and cognitive philosophy,and propose new ideas with East Asian cultural characteristics from the aspects of practice subject,realization way,and value judgment criteria,which help to reveal deep connection between ethics and native culture,and makes environmental ethics play a more effective role in protecting the ecological environment and promoting the development of human society.

Food Choices, Morality, and the Role of Environmental Ethics

In the present article we analyze the ethical dimensions of the issue of human nutrition.Three axes which relate our human diet and food to the moral philosophy,namely the killing of living organisms,overpopulation,and genetically modified products respectively,will be analyzed.Finally,we will refer to the philosophy of Deep Ecology and the possible answers it gives to the moral dilemmas we face.

Ethics and the Anthropocene Crisis:On the Moral Consideration of Nature

This reflection on the moral consideration of nature begins with two classic arguments of environmental ethics which,while alerting to the growing human pressure on the environment,show the need to rethink the relation of humans and natural world.In my view,Aldo Leopold’s land ethic,seconded by John Baird Callicott and Holmes Rolston III,is the approach in environmental ethics which not only postulates a broader comprehension of the universe of moral concern,but also lays the ground for a new ethical paradigm wherein the human,as a responsible member of the biotic community,has the duty to preserve the integrity,the balance and the beauty of the latter.

The Ontopoietic Approach of Human Positioning in the Web of Life

Developed by Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka,phenomenology of life focuses on the thesis of“ontopoiesis”that unfolds an insightful vision upon the human positioning within the great plan of life.The complex and dynamic ontopoietic view enlightens the creative human condition to be understood in terms of metaphysics,ontology,epistemology,anthropology,cosmology,aesthetics,as well as ethics and environmental philosophy.Among many original thematisations,we find an idea of utmost importance for the ethical conduct of man/woman,namely,to be“Custodian of everything-there-is-alive”.It designates a peculiar status of human being within the web of life in its wholeness,which challenges us to deeply reflect,to value and structure our attitudes,deeds,and behaviours activating their moral potential in our relationship with the natural environment.The purpose of this paper is to emphasize some coordinates of Tymienieckan phenomenology in the horizon of environmental ethics,disclosing the significance of the unique situation man/woman has to be aware of,to assume and continuously manifest as the responsible moral agent concerned with a constructive,fulfilling,ordering in flux experience of life,within the unity and differentiation of human-nature harmony.

Reading of The Guiltless from the Perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism

The Guiltless is Hermann Broch’s last novel,and it is also a work that embodies Broch’s literary and artistic view.The novel takes place in a period of social and historical change,and the conflict between the old and the new ethical relations leads to the confusion of the ethical relations,which causes the relationship between the characters to become distorted.This paper tries to analyze the relationship between Baroness W and her family from the perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism in aspects of ethical environment,ethical selection and ethical identity.It reveals that in the period of social and historical change,in the environment of social ethics disorder,the distorted ethical selection of characters and the loss of ethical identity.Hermann Broch attempts to arouse readers’ethical reflection by depicting such an era and such characters.

Environmental ethics and regional sustainable development

The scientific environmental ethics plays a key role in the recognition of the human-environment interactions. Modern environmental ethics is the philosophical re-thinking of modern human race environmental behavior. The development of environmental ethics theory, as well as its application in reality, determines the viewpoints of environmental ethics. Sustainable development implies harmony on human-environment interactions and inter-generation responsibility, with emphasis on a harmonious relationship among population, resources, environment and development, so as to lay a sustainable and healthy foundation of resources and environment for future generations. The harmonious society construction in China that is raised by the Chinese central government should be covered by environmental ethics. The connotation of open environmental ethics includes a respect for nature, care for the individual human race, and respect for the development of future generations, which means giving consideration to natural values, individual and human race benefits and welfare across generations. The role of environmental ethics in regional development consists of cognition, criticism, education, inspiration, adjusting, legislation and promoting environmental regulations. The major problems in regional development are extensive resource exploration, fast population growth, irrational industrial structure, unfair welfare distribution and the twofold effects of science and technology development. The formulation of environmental ethics that aims at regional sustainable development, can not only harmonize the relationship of population, resource, environment and economic development, but also guide behavior selection, push social and political system transformation, strengthen the legal system, and raise environmental awareness of the public.

Variable retention harvesting: conceptual analysis according to different environmental ethics and forest valuation

Background:Conceptual clarity is important to attain precise communication of scientific knowledge and to implement appropriate technological and policy actions.Many concepts referring to forest management are widely used by decision-makers,regardless of their complexity.Although the scientific and methodological issues of forestry practices are frequently discussed in the literature,their normative dimensions are rarely treated.Thus,linguistic uncertainty increases when different environmentally ethical perspectives and ways of valuing forests are considered.The objective was to compare different conceptualizations on the silvicultural systems suggested for forest management and the implications they have for conservation.We have conceptually contrasted highintensity forestry practices with variable retention harvesting,considering different environmentally ethical perspectives and forest valuation alternatives.Results:Clear boundaries between clear-cutting,selective logging,and variable retention harvesting can be evidenced when different ethical points of view and alternatives in the human-nature relationships are considered.We have found a variety of definitions of variable retention harvesting that can be analyzed under different ethical positions.Sharply contrasting views on variable retention harvesting can be evidenced if nature is considered to be purely at human’s service or if it is conceptualized as humans co-inhabiting with nature.The latter position implies that the maintenance of ecological,evolutionary,and historical processes supported by unmanaged forest stands is a crucial step for forest management proposals based on variable retention harvesting.Conclusions:Forestry practices that are focused on forest yields and that misinterpret functional uncertainty of forest functioning would be risky.Moreover,forestry with variable retention harvesting could imply good yields with reasonable conservation management in some contexts,while it could be unacceptable in other socioecological contexts.The improvement of conceptual clarity on the different meanings of variable retention harvesting and the development of indicators for forest management based on the variations of this concept can reduce controversies.

Environmental Ethics and Linkola＇s Ecofascism： An Ethics Beyond Humanism

Ecofascism as a tradition in Environmental Ethics seems to burgeoning with potential. The roots of Ecofascism can be traced back to the German Romantic School, to the Wagnerian narration of the Nibelungen saga, to the works of Fichte and Herder and, finally, to the so-called volkisch movement. Those who take pride in describing themselves as ecofascists grosso modo tend to prioritize the moral value of the ecosphere, while, at the same time, they almost entirely devalue species and individuals. Additionally, these ecofascists are eager to reject democracy, the idea of progress in its entirety, as well as industrialization and urbanization. They also seem to be hostile towards individual autonomy and free will. In this short essay I will present and discuss Kaarlo Pentti Linkola＇s approach to environmental ethics, one that could be well described as the epitome of Ecofascism. I will argue that his arguments are neither sound nor documented, and I will conclude that Linkola＇s overall approach is, in my view, contrary to the purpose as well as to the very essence of morality.

Towards Gratitude to Nature： Global Environmental Ethics for China and the World

This paper asks what should be the basis of a global environmental ethics. As Gao Shan has argued, the environmental ethics of Western philosophers such as Holmes Rolston and Paul Taylor is based on extending the notion of intrinsic value to that of objects of nature, and as such it is not very compatible with Chinese ethics. This is related to Gao＇s rejection of most--if not all--Western ＂rationalist＂ environmental ethics, a stance that I grant her for pragmatic reasons （though I remain neutral about it theoretically）. Gao argues that the Daoist notion of living in harmony with nature can instead become the basis of a Chinese environmental ethics. However, the involved Daoist conception of living in harmony with nature is, in my view, based on an aesthetic property. The paper argues that despite the appeal of the Daoist view for a Chinese environmental ethics, an aesthetic property cannot provide the basis for a global environmental ethics. The paper also considers another version of Daoist environmental ethics, which does not rely on an aesthetic notion, but I argue that it too fails as such a candidate. As an alternative, the paper considers and applies contemporary Western thinkers on gratitude （such as Robert Emmons and Elizabeth Loder）, proposing that gratitude to nature （environmental gratitude） can indeed provide the needed basis.

Is There an Identity Crisis in Environmental Ethics？

Environmental ethics is both a moral philosophy and an applied ethics. This duality has led some people to feel confused about environmental ethics＇ identity and to cast doubts on its legitimacy. This paper, by distinguishing and exploding environmental ethics＇ two patterns of inquiry （the moral philosophy pattern and the applied ethics pattern） and their characteristics, tries to resolve the discipline＇s identity crisis and to argue for its legitimacy.

On The Supposed Importance of Intrinsic Value in Animal and Environmental Ethics

The idea of intrinsic value is pervasive in environmental ethics and animal ethics.In fact,the view that certain non-human animals and the environment have intrinsic value is the basis of many ethicists’claim that we are morally obligated to treat these non-human animals and the environment well.In this paper,I argue that these ethicists often conflate intrinsic and final value.If something is finally valuable,then it is valuable for its own sake or in its own right either in virtue of its internal or external properties.To be intrinsically valuable is just to be finally valuable in virtue of one’s internal or intrinsic properties.Given this understanding of intrinsic value,many animal and environmental ethicists end up committing themselves to the view that the source of the moral status of certain non-human animals and the environment is some set of their respective internal or intrinsic properties.However,I argue that the value that they are often concerned with is based on non-human animals’and the environment’s external or extrinsic properties(sentience,rareness,uniqueness,diversity,etc.).This means that these ethicists need only defend the claim that certain non-human animals and the environment are extrinsically finally valuable as opposed to intrinsically valuable.

An Eco-Ethical Interpretation of Confucian Tianren Heyi

Opposed to a commonly held interpretation that Confucian discourse regarding tianren heyi （天人合一） is simply a human-centred philosophical fusion of humanity and nature, this article argues that the Confucian discourse is in fact composed of two contradictory orientations, one ten-centred （roughly equivalent to ＂anthropocentric＂） and the other tian-centred （＂nature-centric＂ in a specific sense）, which generally correspond to the two major camps of environmental philosophy in the West in the twentieth century. It will be further argued that the two orientations of the Confucian view have different yet related functions with regard to environmental protection and conservation： the tian-centred understanding establishes a metaphysical and religious framework for Confucian eco-ethical norms, in which ecological prohibitions and policies are built into the political and religious infrastructure, while the ten-centred orientation adds practical values and meanings to the ontological care of the human relation to the environment. In modem times, the two orientations of Confucian eco-ethics are under further development, moving away from being dualistic philosophies and converging on the eco-ethical way of life. Contemporary Confueians are investigating how the two traditional ＂orientations＂ can be unified as one holistic perspective which could provide theoretical and practical guidance for our understanding of the human position in the universe, the harmony between humans and nature, and the value of environmental protection and conservation.

The Values of Confucian Benevolence and the Universality of the Confucian Way of Extending Love

The spirit of Confucianism, which holds benevolence as its core value, has positive significance in the dialogue between civilizations and in the construction of global ethics. The values represented in Confucian benevolence are similar to the values in Christian Charity. Confucian values such as the doctrine of magnanimity, the idea of putting oneself in the place of another, and the Confucian way of extending love and favors, are crucial resources to hold in close connection with the relationship between human beings and nature, individuals and society, self and others, and one and oneself. The Confucian idea of ＂differentiated love＂ is a concrete and practical idea, which can be extended to be ＂universal love.＂ Furthermore, the Confucian way of extending love can also be interpreted as eco-ethical： On the one hand, Confucianism affirms the intrinsic value of the universe and calls for a universal moral concern for the ecological world; on the other hand, it recognizes a distinction between human beings and the nature, revealing an eco-ethical awareness of distinction and a consciousness of the differentiation between different ethical spheres. In extracting the instrumental value of ecological resources, Confucians never disregard the intrinsic value of animals and plants. Confucianism puts emphasis on subjectivity, especially the subjectivity of morality. Relationships between man and himself, between self and others, however, are inter-subjective. For Confucians, the universe exists and grows in the process of perfecting oneself, others, and the world. Such an understanding is of modem significance for the exchange and dialogue between civilizations, and the growth of personality and the mental regulation of gentleman today.