6. Social and political movements

2018 ◽  
pp. 77-90
Author(s):  
Robin Attfield
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Human Species ◽  
Human World

Large contributions have been made to environmental ethics by social and political movements, such as Deep Ecology, ecofeminism, Social Ecology, the Environmental Justice Movement, and Green political movements. ‘Social and political movements’ considers these in turn. Social Ecology and the Environmental Justice Movement serve as correctives to Deep Ecology in foregrounding social structures in which environmental problems are often found. But Deep Ecology and ecofeminism serve as counter-correctives to these movements, with their concern for non-human species, habitats, and ecosystems. Green movements (and Deep Ecology too) emphasize our obligations to future generations and to the non-human world. Tensions can arise between environmentalism and liberalism, but they are not always insuperable.

Heidegger and Ecophenomenology

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 167-185
Author(s):  
Trish Glazebrook ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
International Development ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
The Social

This paper is an application of Heidegger’s work to issues in sustainability and environmental justice that demonstrates the value and significance of his work beyond traditional contexts for analysis of his thinking. It argues that Heidegger prompts a constructive environmental phenomenology, which is developed around three themes: physics and teleology; dwelling in nature; and the social obligations of the sciences. Aristotle’s Physics is shown to provide Heidegger with a teleological conception of nature that promotes its intrinsic value. This analysis is used toward an environmental ethics of “dwelling,” in contrast to consumer culture’s reduction of nature to resource. Finally, Heidegger’s potential contribution to debates concerning the social obligations of the sciences is developed. Throughout these analyses, his work is connected with principles of deep ecology, social ecology and ecofeminism, and his applicability to environmental issues in international development is demonstrated. In conclusion, Heideggerian ecophenomenology is argued to promote sustainability and environmental justice insofar as it supports an alternative to the logic of domination currently overrunning the globe.

Environmental Ethics: A Very Short Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Attfield
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Environmental Attitudes ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Short Introduction ◽  
Ethical Decisions ◽  
Production And Consumption

Environmental ethics studies the values and principles involved in combating environmental problems such as pollution, loss of species and habitats, and climate change. Environmental Ethics: A Very Short Introduction traces the discipline’s origins and considers how it defends the independent value of living creatures and the need to make decisions informed by the needs and interests of future generations. Exploring the diverse approaches to ethical decisions and judgements, it highlights the importance of making production and consumption sustainable, and of addressing human population levels, together with policies for preserving species, sub-species, and their habitats. It also discusses the different social and political movements involved and considers the environmental attitudes of the world’s religions.

Breaking Boundaries as the Clue for Post Ecological Architecture

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-32
Author(s):  
María Jesús González Díaz ◽  
Justo García Navarro
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Time Limit ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Know How ◽  
Second Nature ◽  
Remote Locations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Mega Cities

Ecology shows us not only environmental problems; it shows that we need a new balance and harmony between individuals, beings, communities and all of Nature. We need a new contract with Nature (SERRES, 1991) and new Ethics (GUATTARI, 1990) for our lives. What is therefore new in Architecture? The environmental ethics have given us a universal and supra-generational vision of the management of our Nature and, as a consequence, a new way to construct our “second” nature. What is essential for this new architecture that the new ethics demand? Exploring this subject, the paper firstly analyzes how the relationship between ethics and architecture has been described by other authors. Secondly, how the relationship between mainstream architecture and ecology is evolving, from technical matters to social and more complex issues, to work towards ethics. Finally, the convergence between them (Ethics, Architecture and Nature) could provide the clues to understand the ends and means of eco-architecture. As a result of this analysis, we interpret that there are underlying keys in the post-eco-architecture. These summarize in new roles for the “locus” and the break of habitual limits of architecture, which have been replaced for new ones. There are no limits of scale: macro-structures such as mega-cities, as well as micro-organism are involved in the architectural process. The client of our construction is universal: we do not build only for our client, we must think about all beings, including animals since we know how our decisions may inflict damage to biodiversity. The site has no boundaries: we know how any local actions can have an effect in remote locations of the planet, since natural phenomena are interconnected. There is also no time limit: we must build now, but we must think about future generations.

Beyond Anthropocentrism

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 29-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Attfield
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Environmental Values ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Environmental Philosophy ◽  
Human Values ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Good

After the first wave of writings in environmental philosophy in the early 1970s, which were mostly critical of anthropocentrism, a new trend emerged which sought to humanise this subject, and to revive or vindicate anthropocentric stances. Only in this way, it was held, could environmental values become human values, and ecological movements manage to become social ecology. Later writers have detected tacit anthropocentrism lurking even in Deep Ecology, or have defended ‘perspectival anthropocentrism’, as the inevitable methodology of any system of environmental ethics devised by and for the guidance of human beings. Human good, broadly enough conceptualised, is held to be the basis of ethics. Besides, it is sometimes added, non-anthropocentric considerations in any case add nothing to anthropocentric ones, when broadly construed.

Environmental Ethics and Sustainability in Indian Thought

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 55-87
Author(s):  
Rana P. B. Singh ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Indian Thought ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Universe

Religion (dharma) plays a vital role in the Hindu (Sanatana) quest for understanding and practicing harmony between nature and humanity that result into the formation of a cosmological awakening, i.e. 'transcending the universe.' The importance and applicability of such new consciousness is a sign in promoting global humanism in the 21st century, where environmental ethics and sustainability are the wheels of making the future more humane and peaceful. Arne Naess, who coined the term 'deep ecology' conceiving humankind as an integral part of its environment, gives credit to Gandhi. Gandhi’s contributions help to re-awaken the human spirit to self-realisation, finally leading to revelation promoting human coexistence with nature sustainably, mostly through re-interpretation of Vedantic thought. Under the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) the ideas of Gandhi are recognised as a path that makes human coexistence stronger, feasible and co-sharedness, sustainable in peace and harmony with nature. This essay presents ecospiritual contextuality and its vitality concerning a sustainable perspective in line with Gandhi's vision and way of life.

Exploring Just Sustainability in Re-Blocking Intervention in a Johannesburg Informal Settlement

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 782-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olumuyiwa Bayode Adegun
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Urban Housing ◽  
Material Distribution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Institutional Structures ◽  
Just Sustainability

Addressing intertwined socio-economic and environmental problems in informal urban areas underscores the need for just sustainability. The co-production of urban housing provides a useful domain to link issues related to sustainability with social and environmental justice. Using the example of an informal settlement re-blocking project, this paper shows how co-production as an approach might or might not promote principles ingrained in just sustainability. The study relied on data collected through semi-structured interviews with residents and key informants as well as transect walks within the settlement. The case shows that working towards just sustainability is not straight-forward. It demands efforts that navigate, with foresight rather than hindsight, the dynamics in multi-scalar contexts into which informal settlements are embedded. Social and institutional structures, processes and relationships producing and reproducing material distribution are crucial to entrenching the just sustainability praxis.

Indigenous Spheres of Deliberation

2018 ◽  
pp. 99-110
Author(s):  
Martin Hébert
Keyword(s):  
State Formation ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Regional Organizations ◽  
Political Deliberation ◽  
Nation State Formation

Indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination and self-government are recognized by several international instances. Deliberation plays a key role in the exercise of these rights, and its forms are as diverse as the cultures and social structures of which it is part. However, efforts to understand commonalities and differences between contexts and experiences have led to discussions of what Rodolfo Stavenhagen has termed the “indigenous situation.” This chapter looks at some ways in which self-identified Indigenous peoples have maintained, repurposed, and developed practices of political deliberation within such contexts of colonialism, nation-state formation, and capitalist expansion. A particular emphasis is put on the various scales at which deliberation takes place, be it in community life, regional organizations, or national and international political movements.

scholarly journals Systemowe ujęcie biosfery w etyce Edwarda Goldsmitha

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-115
Author(s):  
Anita Ganowicz-Bączyk
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
The Right ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
Moral Respect

Environmental ethics has been intensively developed since the 1970s and is promoted most of all by philosophers and philosophizing naturalists. Various attitudes have been adopted, differing deeply ontologically, anthropologically, and axiologically. In this article, the ethics of Edward Goldsmith are presented. Goldsmith understands the biosphere as a systemic whole, which should be treated with moral respect and responsibility by humankind. In the beginning, the notion of holism is defined and described against the background of biocentric and anthropocentric ethics. Next, the views that inspired Goldsmith’s theory are presented, i.e. A. Naess’ deep ecology, J. Lovelock and L. Margulis Gaia’s hypothesis, the views of E. Odum, W.B. Cannon and C.H. Waddington. Then the main points of biospheric ethics are presented. Finally, Goldsmith’s proposal of mental and civilizational shift is submitted. The biospheric morality, which is supported by religious norms, is explained. This type of morality should allow humankind to achieve the right way of development.

scholarly journals REKONTRUKSI ECORELIGIUS ORANG MELAYU Solusi Penyelamatan Lingkungan

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Husni Thamrin, M.Si
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous People ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Human Being ◽  
The People ◽  
Traditional Societies ◽  
The Times ◽  
The Universe

Anthropocentric paradigm has distanced humans from nature, as well as causing the humans themselves become exploitative in attitude and do not really care about the nature. In relation, ecological crisis also can be seen as caused by mechanistic-reductionistic-dualistic of Cartesian science. The perspective of anthropocentric is corrected by biocentrism and ecocentrism ethics, particularly Deep Ecology, to re-look at the nature as an ethical community. The concept of ecoculture is already practiced from the beginning by indigenous or traditional societies in elsewhere. The perspective of the human being as an integral part of the nature, and  the behaviour of full of resposibility, full of respect and care about the sustainability of all life in the universe have become perspectives and behaviours of various traditional people. The majority of local wisdom in the maintenance of the environment is still surviving in the midst of shifting currents waves by a pressure of anthropocentric perspective. There is also in a crisis because a pressure of the  influences of a modernization. While others, drifting and eroding in the modernization and the anthropocentric perspective.In that context, ecoculture, particularly Deep Ecology, support for leaving the anthropocentric perspective, and when a holistic life perspective asks for leaving the anthropocentric perspective, the humans are invited to go back to thelocal wisdom, the old wisdom of the indigenous people. in other words, environmental ethics is to urge and invite the people to go back to the ethics of the indigenous people that are still relevant with the times. The essence of this perspective is back to the nature, back to his true identity as an ecological human in the ecoreligion  perspective.

The Place of Concerns for Posterity in the Global Education for Sustainable Development Agenda

2017 ◽  
pp. 1433-1453
Author(s):  
Katia Vladimirova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Global Education ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Education Philosophy ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Conceptual Foundations

Education is a powerful tool to alter unsustainable values and mindsets. But in order for it to be used most efficiently it is crucial to have a clear understanding of what values should be advanced, changed, or developed. This chapter aims to clarify some conceptual difficulties with the value of future generations in education for sustainable development. Future generations are embedded in the definition of sustainable development and can be reasonably expected to be at the heart of education for sustainable development. This chapter explores this assumption and analyzes how future-oriented concerns are formulated and advanced in the global educational agenda put forward during the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) led by UNESCO. This analysis compares conceptual foundations of ESD against key developments in climate and environmental ethics on the treatment of posterity. This chapter can contribute to the disciplines of environmental education, philosophy of education, and to climate ethics.

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