PHIL448 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Environmental Ethics, Land Ethic, The Ecologist
Document Summary
Leopold"s definition of an ethic: a) an ethic, ecologically, is a limitation on freedom of action in the struggle for existence. Could be limiting factors (nature: b) an ethic, philosophically, is a differentiation of social from anti-social conduct. Aldo leopold"s doctrine of interdependence: an ethic has its origin in the tendency of interdependent individuals or groups to evolve modes of cooperation. When some people are separated land community includes us but not just us: taking the 3rd step in the ethical sequence. 1st 2 are defined as individual-to-individual ethic (10 commandments) and individual-to-society (the golden rule and democracy) Ex: radiation, farming practices, soil erosion, industrial run-off into ground water. Supposed to tune us into these risks risks not just to humans or at least not directly. May think ethical theory is too demanding on us: constrained competition competition and cooperation go hand-in-hand. Beginning of our prob is that we just saw ourselves as conquerors of land.
