Encyclopedia of environmental ethics and philosophy

The field of environmental ethics is a new but now well-established sub-discipline of philosophy. Emerging in the mid-1970s, the field coalesced with the inaugural volume of the journal Environmental Ethics in 1979 and developed rapidly. By the turn of the century, most colleges and universities offered courses, if not major programs of study, in this important discipline.

The Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy addresses the needs of upper high school students, undergraduate researchers, teachers and professors, as well as general readers by examining the philosophical and ethical issues underlying contemporary and historical environmental issues, policies, and debates. More than 300 peer-reviewed articles cover concepts, institutions, topics, events and people, including global warming, animal rights, environmental movements, alternative energy, green chemistry, industrial ecology, and eco-sabotage.

Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy joins the suite of other Macmillan applied ethics titles: Encyclopedia of Bioethics and the Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics. Additional features include 200 photographs and illustrations, thematic outline, annotated bibliography, and a comprehensive index. While Gale strives to replicate print content, some content may not be available due to rights restrictions. Call your Sales Rep for details. Environmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world. It exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, ecotheology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental geography. There are many ethical decisions that human beings make with respect to the environment.

For example: Should we continue to clear cut forests for the sake of human consumption? Why should we continue to propagate our species, and life itself? [1] Should we continue to make gasoline powered vehicles? What environmental obligations do we need to keep for future generations? [2][3] Is it right for humans to knowingly cause the extinction of a species for the convenience of humanity? How should we best use and conserve the space environment to secure and expand life? 4] The academic field of environmental ethics grew up in response to the work of scientists such as Rachel Carson and events such as the first Earth Day in 1970, when environmentalists started urging philosophers to consider the philosophical aspects of environmental problems.

Two papers published in Science had a crucial impact: Lynn White’s ” The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis” (March 1967)[5] and Garrett Hardin’s ” The Tragedy of the Commons” (December 1968). 6] Also influential was Garett Hardin’s later essay called ” Exploring New Ethics for Survival”, as well as an essay by Aldo Leopold in his A Sand County Almanac, called ” The Land Ethic,” in which Leopold explicitly claimed that the roots of the ecological crisis were philosophical (1949). [7] The first international academic journals in this field emerged from North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s – the US-based journal Environmental Ethics in 1979 and the Canadian based journal The Trumpeter: Journal of Ecosophy in 1983.

The first British based journal of this kind, Environmental : here are several ethical standards that seem to apply across cultures. The idea of a parent’s duty to his/her child, a prohibition against killing useful members of society, and prohibition against incest are all examples of these universal morals. Most cultures also have some version of the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. [2]A practicable Code of Universal Ethics was proposed by Enno Winkler. [3] = Universal Ethics is a set of principles which apply to all humans, whether secular or religious, independent from any particular faith.