The latest edition of an essential resource in the theory and applications of environmental ethics In the newly revised Third Edition of Environmental Ethics, internationally renowned philosopher Michael Boylan delivers another accessible introduction for students new to ethics, and an invaluable reference for scholars of all levels. The anthology includes important essays, both established and contemporary, as well as eight brand-new contributions commissioned specifically for this edition. This new material is the foundation for students' understanding of the most recent ethical debates on the environment and humanity's place within it.
The balanced combination of new material on recent developments in the field and well-known, foundational articles appears alongside helpful pedagogical materials, including case studies and sample questions. The book brings students up to speed on all the main themes in the area, including worldview arguments for environmentalism, the anthropocentric vs. biocentric debate, and a variety of applied environmental problems. Environmental Ethics also offers:
- A thorough introduction to the theoretical background of environmental ethics, including discussions of ethical reasoning, nature, and the tragedy of the commons
- Comprehensive explorations of eco-feminism and social justice, aesthetics, and deep ecology
- Practical discussions of anthropocentric and biocentric justifications in environmental ethics
- In-depth examinations of applied environmental problems, including climate change, animal rights, sustainability, and public policy
Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying topics in ethics, the environment, law, and policy, Environmental Ethics will also earn a place in the libraries of philosophers with an interest in applied or environmental ethics, and industry consultants to ecologists, environmental scientists, or environmental policymakers.
Table of Contents:
Notes on Contributors xi
Preface to the Third Edition xiii
Source Credits xvi
Companion Website xviii
Part I Theoretical Background 1
1 Ethical Reasoning 3
Michael Boylan
2 What is ‘Nature,’ and Why Should We Care? 15
Michael Boylan
3 The Tragedy of the Commons 35
Garrett Hardin
4 Worldview Arguments for Environmentalism 48
A. The Land Ethic and Deep Ecology 51
The Land Ethic 51
Aldo Leopold
The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement: A Summary 58
Arne Naess
What Social Ecology? 63
Murray Bookchin
B. Eco-Feminism and Social Justice 75
Ecofeminism and Feminist Theory 75
Carolyn Merchant
The Power and the Promise of Ecological Feminism 81
Karen J. Warren
Patently Wrong: The Commercialization of Life Forms 89
Wanda Teays
C. Aesthetics 101
Aesthetics and the Value of Nature 101
Janna Thompson
Worldview and the Value-Duty Link to Environmental Ethics 114
Michael Boylan
5 Anthropocentric Versus Biocentric Justifications 130
A. Anthropocentric Justifications 133
Human Rights and Future Generations 133
Alan Gewirth
Environmental Values, Anthropocentrism and Speciesism 137
Onora O’Neill
B. Biocentric Justifications 151
Environmental Ethics: Values in and Duties to the Natural World 151
Holmes Rolston III
Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics 169
Paul W. Taylor
C. Searching the Middle 180
Reconciling Anthropocentric and Nonanthropocentric Environmental Ethics 180
James P. Sterba
On the Reconciliation of Anthropocentric and Nonanthropocentric Environmental Ethics 194
Brian K. Steverson
Reconciliation Reaffirmed: A Reply to Steverson 205
James P. Sterba
Part II Applied Environmental Problems 211
6 Pollution and Climate Change 213
A. Air and Water Pollution 215
Blue Water 215
Michael Boylan
Polluting and Unpolluting 228
Benjamin Hale
Moral Valuation of Environmental Goods 243
Mark A. Seabright
B. Climate Change 256
Does a Failure in Global Leadership Mean it’s All Over? Climate, Population, and Progress 256
Ruth Irwin
Collective Responsibility and Climate Change 271
Seumas Miller
7 Animal Rights 283
All Animals are Equal 285
Peter Singer
The Radical Egalitarian Case for Animal Rights 300
Tom Regan
A Critique of Regan’s Animal Rights Theory 309
Mary Anne Warren
Mary Anne Warren and “Duties to Animals” 317
Michael Boylan
Against Zoos 322
Dale Jamieson
8 Sustainability 332
A. Sustainability: What it is and How it Works 334
Defining Sustainability Ethic 334
Randall Curren
A Perfect Moral Storm: Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics, and the Problem of Moral Corruption 349
Stephen M. Gardiner
Sustainability and Adaptation: Environmental Values and the Future 362
Bryan G. Norton
B. Sustainability and Development 375
‘Sustainable Development’: Is it a Useful Concept? 375
Wilfred Beckerman
On Wilfred Beckerman’s Critique of Sustainable Development 391
Herman E. Daly
Globalizing Responsibility for Climate Change 398
Steve Vanderheiden
9 Public Policy, Activism, and Technology: The Cold and Tragic Logic of Climate Change Denial 414
Michael Goldsby
The A, B, Cs of Social Activism: My Journey 423
Barbara Wien
International Public Policy on Environmental Regulation 435
Carl Joachim Kock
What About the Coal Miners? Addressing the Downside of Effective Environmental Policies 450
Frederick Bird
Electricity 461
Geert Demuijnck
Technology and the Environment: From Bones to Markets 471
David E. McClean
Rising Above the Rising Seas 486
Avery Kolers
About the Author :
Michael Boylan is Professor of Philosophy at Marymount University. He has authored 39 books and over 150 journal articles and book chapters, has served on numerous professional and governmental policy committees, and was a Fellow at the Center for American Progress. He has been invited to speak at universities in fifteen countries on five continents around the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, Cologne, and more.
