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Environmental Philosophy, Ethics, and Science

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Outline

• Introduction• Ethical Principles• Religious and Cultural Perspectives• Environmental Justice• Science as a Way of Knowing

Scientific Design Modeling and Natural Experiments Paradigms and Scientific Consensus

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INTRODUCTION

• Ethics is a branch of philosophy: Morals: Distinction between right and wrong. Values: Ultimate worth of actions or things.

• Environmental ethics deals with the moral relationships between humans and the surrounding world.

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Ethical Principles

• Universalists - Assert fundamental principles of ethics are universal, unchanging, and eternal. Plato

• Relativists - Claim moral principles are always relative to a particular person, society, or situation. Nietzsche

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Ethical Principles

• Nihilists - Claim morality is arbitrary thus there is no reason to behave morally. Schopenhauer

• Utilitarians - Believe an action is right that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Bentham and Mill

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Values, Rights, and Obligations• Moral Agents - Beings capable of acting

morally or immorally, and who can accept responsibility for their acts. Humans

• Moral Subjects - Beings who are not moral agents, but who have moral interests and can be treated rightly or wrongly. Children

• Moral Extensionism - Widening definition of who is considered ethically significant. Animal Rights

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Intrinsic and Instrumental Value

• Intrinsic (Inherent - Innate) - Worth or value simply because of existence. Humans

• Instrumental (Conferred) - Worth or value only because they are valued by someone who matters. Tools

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Religious and Cultural Perspectives

• Biocentricism - All living things have intrinsic value.

• Anthropocentric - Human-centered. Genesis 1:28

• Stewardship - Custodian of resources. Indigenous peoples

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Ecofeminism

• Ecofeminists argue most philosophers came from a patriarchal system based on domination and duality. Contend domination, exploitation, and

mistreatment of women, children, minorities, and nature are intimately connected and mutually reinforcing.

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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

• Environmental Justice combines civil rights and environmental protection to demand a safe, healthy environment for all people. People of color around the world are

subjected to a disproportionately high level of environmental health risks.

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Environmental Justice

• Toxic Colonialism - Targeting poor communities of color in poor areas / countries for waste disposal and / or experimentation. Native American Reservations Moving operations to countries where

environmental regulations are lax.

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SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING

• Science - Depends on making precise observations of natural phenomena and on formulating rational theories to make sense of those observations. Assumes the world is knowable, and that

systematic investigations can yield meaningful insights.

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Science

• Deductive Reasoning - Starts with a general principle and proceeds to a specific case.

• Inductive Reasoning - General principles are inferred from examination of specific cases.

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Scientific Design

• Reproducibility is a key test of any data set. Controlled Studies - All variables controlled

except for one. Blind Experiment

- Researchers, (or researchers and participants in a double-blind) do not know who is receiving the experimental or control treatments until after the experiment is completed.

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Hypothesis and Theories

• Hypothesis - A provisional explanation that can be falsified by further investigation. When tests support hypothesis, it is only

considered provisionally true.• Scientific Theory - Hypothesis supported by

multiple experiments and a majority of experts. Not casual everyday “theory”.

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Modeling and Natural Experiments

• Natural Experiments - Ideas and explanations tested indirectly by looking at historical evidence or natural experiments.

• Models - Use of a substitute organism, a physical mock-up, or a set of mathematical equations that simulates a real system.

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Statistics and Probability

• Quantitative data can be precise, easily compared, and provide good benchmarks to measure change. Statistical analysis can be used to

calculate a margin of error and confidence levels.

Probability is a measure and prediction of the likelihood of an event.

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Scientific Investigation

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Intuition and Inspiration

• Human factors such as creativity, insight, aesthetics, and luck play definite roles in scientific research.

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Paradigms

• Most research is based on commonly shared paradigms - models that provide a framework for interpreting results. Eventually, anomalies and contradictions

of paradigms arise and build.- Typically new generations of scholars

challenge old paradigms and formulate new hypotheses and theories leading to new paradigms.

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Pseudoscience

• A common tactic in combating scientific evidence is to use scientific uncertainty as a an excuse to postpone or reverse an action supported by the current scientific evidence.

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Summary

• Introduction• Ethical Principles• Religious and Cultural Perspectives• Environmental Justice• Science as a Way of Knowing

Scientific Design Modeling and Natural Experiments Paradigms and Scientific Consensus

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