Introduction to Environmental Ethics

Environmental ethics is an essential aspect of humans' understanding of their situation. Central to our ability to understand ethically our relation to the non-human world is the analysis of value: does the non-human world have instrumental or intrinsic value or both? Views based on the Judaeo-Christian position may place humans in a special position in nature, whilst views such as deep ecology, with roots in eastern religion, place humans as one species amongst many. These views are clearly seen in different current approaches to environmental ethics. One obvious factor is the temporal dimension: decisions have to be made in relation to the present and the future, emphasising the importance of sustainability. In practical terms, principles often invoked include the (consequentialist/instrumentalist) polluter-pays principle and the (deontological) precautionary principle. Finally, efforts to quantify environmental values are fraught with many difficulties, which again relate back to assignment of value and its temporal dimension.