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Exploring the moral relationship between humans and the natural world, focusing on anthropocentrism versus biocentrism.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does its existence still have value, or is its worth only measured by the timber it provides to humans?
To understand environmental ethics, we must first ask why something matters. Instrumental value is the value an object has as a means to an end. For example, a forest has instrumental value because it provides timber, oxygen, and recreation for humans. In contrast, intrinsic value is the value an entity has 'in itself,' independent of its usefulness to others. If a mountain has intrinsic value, we have a moral obligation to respect it even if it contains no gold or oil. Philosophers argue that our ethical 'circle of concern' has expanded over centuries—starting with the self, moving to the tribe, then to all humans, and now, potentially, to the non-human world.
Consider the honeybee through two different lenses: 1. Instrumental Logic: We must protect bees because they pollinate out of the top crop species that feed of the world. Their value is calculated as . 2. Intrinsic Logic: We must protect bees because they are living beings with their own 'good' and purpose, regardless of whether they help human agriculture.
Quick Check
If a government protects a rainforest solely because it contains rare plants that might cure human cancer, what type of value are they assigning to the forest?
Answer
Instrumental value.
How we view our place in nature generally falls into three categories. Anthropocentrism (human-centered) posits that humans are the only entities with moral standing. Nature is a 'resource' for our use. Biocentrism (life-centered) argues that all living individuals—from bacteria to blue whales—have moral status. Finally, Ecocentrism (ecosystem-centered) shifts the focus from individuals to the whole. It suggests that entire species, rivers, and ecosystems possess moral priority. In an ecocentric view, the health of the 'system' is more important than the fate of any single individual within it.
A city proposes a hydroelectric dam to provide clean energy. 1. An Anthropocentrist supports it because it provides power to people. 2. A Biocentrist opposes it because it will kill thousands of individual fish in the river. 3. An Ecocentrist evaluates whether the dam destroys the 'integrity' of the entire watershed ecosystem.
Quick Check
Which worldview would be most concerned with the extinction of a rare fungus that has no known use to humans?
Answer
Biocentrism or Ecocentrism.
In his 1949 book A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold introduced the Land Ethic. He argued that we need to stop viewing land as property and start viewing it as a community to which we belong. Leopold’s famous maxim states: 'A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.' This was a radical shift from the 'conqueror' role to the 'plain member and citizen' role. It implies that humans are just one part of a complex equation where the 'Land' includes soils, waters, plants, and animals.
The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is a classic application of the Land Ethic: 1. The Problem: Without wolves (predators), elk overpopulated and overgrazed the riverbanks. 2. The Action: Reintroducing wolves killed some elk (bad for the individual elk/Biocentrism). 3. The Result: The 'integrity' of the land was restored. Trees regrew, birds returned, and even the river flow stabilized. 4. The Verdict: According to Leopold, this was 'right' because it restored the stability of the biotic community.
Which term describes the value of a forest based on its ability to provide timber for houses?
According to Aldo Leopold, an action is 'right' if it preserves what three things in the biotic community?
A Biocentrist would argue that a rock has the same moral standing as a bird.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain the difference between Biocentrism and Ecocentrism to a friend using the 'Wolf in Yellowstone' example.
Practice Activity
Find a news article about a local environmental project. Identify whether the arguments used are Anthropocentric (focused on jobs/resources) or Ecocentric (focused on the ecosystem).