AN ASSESSMENT OF THE THEORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Abstract

Environmental issues have become problematic over the years, ranging from the conflicting theories of environmental ethics to the appropriate ethics suitable in addressing environmental problems. The constant abuse of the environment, the destruction of biodiversity and its correspondent threat to posterity are the foundational and fundamental insight that motivated this research work. It becomes necessary to pinpoint the appropriate environmental ethics to address the pressing environmental needs of the ecosystem. In an attempt to proffer solutions to the environmental challenges, numerous environmental ethics were developed to express the relation between human beings and the environment. However, this paper focuses on the assessment of the two broad divisions of environmental ethics: Anthropocentrism and Ecocentrism. This paper employs the philosophical method of analysis to examine the two environmental ethical theories in line with the appropriateness in ameliorating the pressing environmental challenges. This paper discovered that ecocentric environmental ethics is an inclusive ethics that accommodates all the members of the ecosystem and places intrinsic value on human beings and nonhuman beings. It becomes paramount if such environmental ethical approach should be adopted by individuals, government, corporate bodies, organizations, et cetera to manage the rising environmental issues. Inasmuch as technology, civilization, industrialization, technologies are necessary for human existence, this paper calls for moderation in exploration of the environment for human‘s benefit.