Folke Günther http://www.holon.se/ folke/ Environmental ethics …an introduction
Nov 13, 2014
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Environmental ethics
…an introduction
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Part 1
What is ’Nature’
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
NatureNatureCultureWasteNatureResources
The double Nature
Resource
cupboard
(Unlimited)
waste heap
Nature
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
NatureCultureWaste
Resources
The combined Nature
Combinedcupboard
andwaste heap
Border to N
ature
C
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
NatureCulture
Where is the border to Nature?
Border to N
ature
Is it on the outside of the house?
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
NatureCulture
Where is the border to Nature?
Border to N
ature
Will Nature disappear if we put asphalt on it?
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Where is the border to Nature?Planet comparison
Venus Earth without life
Mars Earth with life
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen gas
Oxygen gas
Surface temperature
Surface pressure (bar)
96.5 % 98 % 95 % 0.03 %
3.5 % 1.9 % 2.7 % 79 %
traces 0.0 % 0.13 % 21 %
459 ° 240 °- 340 °
- 53 ° 16 °
90 60 0.0064 1.0
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Nature sneaks inEnvironmental services
Earth without life
Earth with life
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen gas
Oxygen gas
Surface temperature
Surface pressure (bar)
98 % 0.03 %
1.9 % 79 %
0.0 % 21 %
240 °- 340 °
16 °
60 1.0
The support from the life on Earth is absolutely crucial for our existence!
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
NatureCulture
Therefore, this view of Nature is fundamentally wrong!
Border to N
ature
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Culture
Instead, this description makes sense
NatureThe culture is a subsystem to Nature
We are always within Nature
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Part 2 Culture
Nature
We are always within Nature
Rules for subsystems
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
OK, we are a subsystem to Nature
Culture
Nature
We are always within Nature
- So what?
- Subsystems have to follow certain rules in order to survive
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
Assume you are a cell (subsystem) in a body (supersystem)
Body
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
The cell receives a lot of free and beneficial services from the body
BodyA nice
temperature: 37°
Good pH: 7,4Sugar for nutrition
Oxygen
Waste removal sevices
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
To keep all these services, the cell (the subsystem) can only behave in
three fundamentally different ways towards the body (the supersystem)
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
Body
+Positive influence
– Negative influence
±0 No influence
123
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
The cell has a negative influence on its supersystem. It will, for example, develop a
cancer
Survival strategy 1
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
Body
By that, the body will be less able to deliver its free services
--
As a survival strategy for the cell, it sucks
Either, the macrophages will find the cancer cell and destroy itOr the body will die
Survival strategy 1
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
The cell is perfectly neutral towards its supersystem
It doesn’t cause any harm, neither it does anything that is
useful to the body
Survival strategy 2
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
BodyThe capacity of the body to deliver its free services is not affected by the actions of the cell
As a survival strategy for the cell, it is, at least, risky!
The cell is invisible to the body
What will happen if there is a tidying-up drive ?
Survival strategy 2
±0
The cell might be eliminated, but this will not affect the body
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
The cell does something (little) that makes it useful to the body
Survival strategy 3
This makes it easier for the body to deliver services to the
cell
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Cell
BodyBy that, the body will have an increased ability to deliver its free services
+
This is the only reliable survival strategy for the cell
The cell fulfils some function that makes the body more able
It is somewhat better for the body that the cell is there, than not
Survival strategy 3
+
+
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
This goes for any
subsystem!
Survival strategy 3
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Organism
Ecosystem
By that, the ecosystem, it will get increased ability to deliver its free services +
This is the only reliable survival strategy for any subsystem
The organism fulfils some function that makes the ecosystem more able
It is somewhat better for the ecosystem that the organism is there, than not
Survival strategy 3
+
+
Shade and protection
Good soil conditionsSugar for nutrition
Oxygen production
Nutrient provision
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
This is the principle of the ultimate egoism:
Survival strategy 3
By supporting your supersystem, you promote
your own existence
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Part 3
What is ’good’ for the ecosystem?
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
OK, to be sustainable it is not enough to eliminate damage. To justify your existence you need to be supportive to Nature
- But how could human beings ’support’ Nature?
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
- If you can make ecosystems work better with humans than without them – then you are a fair way towards sustainability.
But then you need to understand how ecosystems work
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Ecosystem
Exergy consuming processes, ’life’
Ecosystems, like all self-organising processes, thrive on energy with high exergy content
Sunlight with high exergy content
Low temperatureradiation with lowexergy content
The ’life’ processes consume exergy
The energy with consumed exergy content must be expelled, otherwise the system will ’choke’
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
The Second Law tells us that all processes consume exergy
A corollary of the Second Law is that processes that consume
exergy better will be preferred
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Therefore, ecosystems will be expected to change in a way that increase their exergy consuming
capacity
Observations of ecosystem maturation confirms that
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Ecosystem maturation
A v a i l a b l e s o l a r e x e r g y
Immature system• Low diversity• Annual plants• Competition• Parasitism• Nutrient leakage• Export• Fast change• Water export by drainage
Mature system• High diversity• Perennial plants• Co-operation• Mutualism• Nutrient circulation• On-site consumption• Slow change• Water export by evaporation
All these changes increase the exergy consumption capacity of the ecosystem
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
During maturation, ecosystems changes to increase their
exergy consuming capacity
The maturation process might need 100 to 10 000 years
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
What if human beings could aid in this process?
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Part 4
Permaculture
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
A multitude of descriptions exits of permaculture
…but few definitions
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Descriptions of permaculture
•The goal is to mimic nature.
•Emphasis is placed on perennial crops. Permaculture retains biological diversity
•Natural plant progression.
• The conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems which have the diversity, stability & resilience of natural ecosystems. • The harmonious integration of landscape, people & appropriate technologies. • Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural rhythms & patterns.
Geoffrey Ian Miller: Ecosystem maturation• High diversity• Perennial plants
• Mutualism
• Slow change
Bill Mollison & Scott Pittman:
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Descriptions of permaculture
A permaculture is a diverse, complex ecosystem where the elements interact in mutually beneficial ways
Anon 84 PD
Permaculture is an integrated, evolving system of perennial or self-perpetuating plant & animal species useful to man
Ecosystem maturation• High diversity• Perennial plants• Co-operation• Mutualism• Nutrient circulation• On-site consumption• Slow change
Permaculture is the harmonious integration of people into the landscape
Permaculture is the conscious design of 'cultivated' ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is a harmonious integration of people into the landscape in such a way that the land grows in richness, productivity and aesthetic beauty.
Patricia DuBose Michael
Washburn TN PDC
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Descriptions of permaculture
Permaculture is the use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems of food production
• Self-sustaining productive landscapes which, once established, will need the minimum of human intervention. • A permaculture design incorporates a diversity of species & interrelations between species, & allows for the continuous evolution that occurs in Nature. • There is a succession of species each preparing the environment for the next & all moving towards a climax state.
Ecosystem maturation• High diversity• Perennial plants• Co-operation• Mutualism• Nutrient circulation• On-site consumption• Slow change
Simon Henderson, Cortez IS, BC
Anon, 84 PD
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature.
A permaculture is a diverse, complex ecosystem where the elements interact in mutually beneficial ways to produce a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts.
Creating abundant and sustainable human habitats by following nature’s patterns
Ecosystem maturation• High diversity• Perennial plants• Co-operation• Mutualism• Nutrient circulation• On-site consumption• Slow change
Descriptions of permaculture
Anon 84 PD:
Graham Burnett:
Bill Mollison:
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Ecosystem maturation• High diversity• Perennial plants• Co-operation• Mutualism• Nutrient circulation• On-site consumption• Slow change• Water export by evaporation
It seem as the descriptions of permaculure all point at the same direction
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
By that, we could try to make a definition of permaculture, not only a description:
Permaculture is the forthbringing
of maturing ecosystems with humans as promotive parts
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
With permaculture, the maturation process might be reduced to 10 – 1000 years
The maturation process might normally need 100 to 10 000 years
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Thus, the human beings has found a method to make
themselves useful !
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
By that, permaculture has changed from a nicety to a sustainability necessity
Permaculture is the forthbringing of maturing ecosystems with humans as promotive parts
Folke Güntherhttp://www.holon.se/folke/
Thank you!
Further information:
www.holon.se/folke/
folkeg@ gmail.com