The dual nature of nature ethics - CCME · The dual nature of nature ethics Photograph by Laurent Ballista, National Geographic. Compassion-based ethics Compassion is inherent in

YohayCarmelDepartmentofEnvironmentalEngineeringTechnion– IsraelInstituteofTechnology

Thedualnatureofnatureethics

PhotographbyLaurentBallista,NationalGeographic

Compassion-basedethics

Compassionisinherentinhumannature.

Painandsufferareconsiderednegative.

*לחברך לא תעשה–שעליך שנוא ) מה(

treat others as you’d wish to be treated

א א"מסכת שבת ל

The ‘golden rule’

Matthew 7:12

The‘goldenrule’extended

AnimalsexperiencepainandsufferTherefore,causingpainandsuffertoanimalsisimmoral

Thisruleshouldapplytoanycreaturethatmayexperiencepainandsuffer.

The‘goldenrule’ethicsextended

killingawhaleisasmorallybadaskillingaperson

(atleast)

Largebrains

Complexsinging

Intricatesocialfabric

Strong,stablefamilybonds,lastinglonger

thanmosthumanbonds

NatureConservation

Ecosystemservices–various benefits

tohumansandsociety

conservationjustificationsincludeconsiderationsthathavenothingtodowith

ethics

Alltheseareabstractconcepts

conservationethicsconcernspecies,ecosystems,habitatsetc.

Conservationethics

Yet,thereexistsonestrongethicaljustificationforconservation

Diversity-basedethicsThemajorethicaljustificationforconservationisdiversity

Diversityhasagreatvalueindeed.

Habitatdiversity

Speciesdiversity

Diversefoodwebs

Morethanasubjectivefeeling:

Adiverseworldisinherentlyricherininformationandthusmorevaluable*

thanahomogeneousworld

*tous,butalsointrinsically

Diversityandcomplexityaretwofacesofthesamecoin

Bothweredevelopedovereons

Eradicationmaybequick

butrecoveryisslow…ifatallpossible

*McShea andBrandon2010

valuingdiversity=valuingtherareThecommonisheretostayanyway

Itistherarethatweareconcernedwith

ItistheinherentvalueofDiversity– thatjustifiesthegreathumaneffort,time,money,andresourcesthatgointo

savingrarespecies

“I'dratherkillamanthanasnake.NotbecauseIlovesnakesorhatemen.Itisaquestion,rather,ofproportion.”

EdwardAbbey

Killing a whale isMuch worse than killing a person

compassion-based ethics

diversity-basedethics

congruence

Should one kill hooded crows?

Moral-based ethics

Diversity-basedethics

contradiction

?

Moral-based ethics

Diversity-basedethics

Decisionincasesofconflictingvaluesystems

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