environmental ethics

Question 1

main idea stewardship

Answer 1

-God given earth to human beings and he expects us to look after it
-we are stewards of the earth

Question 2

main idea conservation

Answer 2

-concerned wit how humans should interact and understand the envuronment
-concerned practical issues eg recycling, climate change
-about the value of the environment and sentient beings

Question 3

animal welfare and protection western tradition

Answer 3

-little consideration for welfare or protection of animals
-judged to be subordinates of human beings due to inferior rational capicities

Question 4

genesis support animals inferior view

Answer 4

‘Let us make mankind in our image so they may rule over the animals’

Question 5

Buddhism and animal welfare

Answer 5

-gvie more weight in teaching to consideration of animals
-significant principle ahimsa ‘do not harm’ extended to all living beings

Question 6

PETA

Answer 6

-secular organisation activley campaign for animal welfare

Question 7

UK legislation animal welfare

Answer 7

2007 Animal Welfare Act imposed severer penalties for mistreatment of animals, negligence may lead 51 weeks prison

Question 8

Sustainability

Answer 8

-earths capability to continue supporting life

Question 9

What does society heavily rely on (sustainability)

Answer 9

-fossil fuels
-energy and mass manufacture
-often require destruction natural habitats to support growing population
-heavy toll on natural world

Question 10

sustainable development

Answer 10

-strategies developed by business and government to reduce amount of harm human activity has on environment
-wind, solar power, green spaces

Question 11

What would Arne Naess and Lovelock argue about sustainability

Answer 11

-not nearly enough has been done and radical action needs to be taken to avert lasting damage to earth

Question 12

waste management UK

Answer 12

-each household produces enarly 600kg of waste over year
-over 300 mil tonnes country
-40% recycled
-rest is liable to be incinerated or placed landfills

Question 13

incineration

Answer 13

-burning waste materials
-produce harmful chemicals which pollute air and may cause health issues humans and animals

Question 14

landfills

Answer 14

-site for disposal of waste materials
-unsutainable
-limited space
-can contaminate soil and waste
-produce methane wuch contribute to global warming

Question 15

zero waste policy

Answer 15

-only sustainable solution for many environmental activists
-under this policy waste disposal methods should be used as little as possible or not at all

Question 16

climate change

Answer 16

-large scale long term shift in the planets weather patterns or average temperatures

Question 17

effect of climate change

Answer 17

-shrinking ice caps, rising sea levels
-tragic floods in Bangladesh, millions died, displaced, homes destroyed

Question 18

dominion

Answer 18

-humans instated by God to rule over earth and use resources for own purpose
-‘rule over’

Question 19

stewardship

Answer 19

-humans duty from God to protect and preserve earth
-responsibility towards it

Question 20

quote Leviticus protect land

Answer 20

‘In the seventh year the land is to have a year of Sabbath rest’

Question 21

creation in Genesis

Answer 21

-outline value and beauty of creation
-gift from God should be respected
-‘very good’

Question 22

concept of stewardship and dominion

Answer 22

-sometimes compatible sometimes contradictory
-varying interpretations

Question 23

quote from Genesis fall of man

Answer 23

‘cursed is the ground because of you’

Question 24

how do some Christians interpret the quote about fall of man

Answer 24

-shows environmental damage part of human sin and therefore we should rectify it
-restoring world help restore human relationship with God

Question 25

Christians and environmental damage

Answer 25

-consider it significant due to impact on humans lives (instrumental) -Jesus teaching love thy neighbor clear reason to act on environmental concerns

Question 26

Christian Aid

Answer 26

-focus on how environmental issues impact lives of poor

Question 27

what do a minority of radical Christians believe

Answer 27

-earth irrelevant as end of time will arise before any greater impact of environmental damage occur -destruction foreshadowing welcomed apocalypse

Question 28

main characteristics christian approach

Answer 28

-earth instrumental value not intrinsic -generally anthropocentric, humans grater moral significance than animals as God given soul and reason

Question 29

strength Christian environmental organisations

Answer 29

-able to mobalise large numbers of people and gather significant funds to support people -concern for underprivileged significant focus on developing world, where effects of climate change felt most severely

Question 30

weakness christian environemntal ethics instrumental

Answer 30

-by viewing environemnt as having instrumental value rather than intrinsic, unable appreciate true worth nature -focus on consequences humans rther than animals, anthropocentric

Question 31

Peter Singer criticism Christian approach

Answer 31

-speciesism, discriminate animals purely based on view human species superior -anthropocentric, may be used to justify animal exploitation

Question 32

which approach has shallow ecology

Answer 32

conservation ethics

Question 33

features of conservation ethics

Answer 33

-instrumental -anthropocentric -shallow ecology

Question 34

conservation ethics

Answer 34

-protection of environment should take place because it is in our interest -environmental issues cost us money, health -utilitarian approach, more people happy

Question 35

strengths conservation ethics

Answer 35

-pragmatic -secular, does not rely on claims about God -cost benefit analysis shows how action lead to financial reward in future e.g Thames barrier

Question 36

weakness conservation ethics

Answer 36

-although encourage action on environmental issues, does not accord intrinsic value to earth -if environmental damage were to occur that does not affect humans, would not need to be acted upon -anthropocentric