The Role of Science and Technology

The role of modern technology needs to be reduced because of the ongoing threat of catastrophic environmental consequences. Regardless, some modern technology needs to be employed to monitor the ecosystem and to deal with potential celestial collisions. Other parts of modern technology that do not contribute to survival need to be reduced as quickly as possible without causing any more damage than necessary. Economic growth needs to be rethought with environmental costs properly included.

Human-Animal Relations

The proper behavior of humans toward animals is a middle way between human superiority, which allows humans to do whatever they please to animals, and views requiring humans not to interfere with animals at all. Since ethics is principles for social cooperation, only a restricted class of animals—work animals and pets—can have ethical standing. In any case, eco-ethics requires us to treat animals humanely and not as objects.

Humans as Hunter-Gatherers

The development of human separation from the environment is outlined beginning with our immediate ancestor Homo erectus. This ancestor made tools complex enough to save and store, thus creating a human space distinct from the rest of nature. Homo erectus later tamed fire and built temporary shelters, again adding to a human environment distinct from nature. When Homo sapiens, our species, appeared, they adopted additional practices that separated them from the rest of nature. They made and wore clothing, carried out ceremonial burials, began making representations, and exterminated nearly all animals larger than themselves.

Mind Body Consciousness

Humans also view themselves as not part of nature when they believe they are primarily nonphysical minds or souls or spirits, but we know that humans came to be on this planet through natural selection. Consciousness, although it is in some ways nonphysical, is still very much a part of nature. The work of two contemporary philosophers, Richard Taylor and John Rowlands, is used to explain the relation of consciousness to the natural world.

Conclusion

The principal ideas of the book are summarized. Two stories are told about the future of the planet, a positive story and a negative story.

Humans as Masters of the World

Several versions of human superiority are characterized and analyzed. None give humans the right to do whatever they want to the rest of the environment. Although humans have physical superiority, that does not give humans “dominion” over the rest of the world.

Extinction

Eventually the human race will become extinct, like any other species. Ultimately, we should be concerned with what we can do toward our species goals within the one-to-two million-years lifespan of our species. Our individual life spans are not meaningless even though we know they will end. Therefore, what we do as a species is not meaningless just because our species will come to an end.

Causes of Conflict with the Ecosystem

Potential causes of humanity’s conflict with the ecosystem are: human institutions misusing technology, technology itself, population growth, economic growth, and human attitudes. The main causes are modern technology together with attitudes of human superiority and human exceptionalism. Population growth and economic growth are secondary causes, but they do make environmental problems worse.

Science, Modern Technology, and Corporations

Why modern science is a superior source of truth. Modern science contains the essence of modern technology. The distinguishing feature of modern technology is that it treats everything as nothing but resource. This explains why modern technology must conflict with the ecosystem, because it does not recognize the ecosystem as anything other than a set of resources it can exploit. Corporations are the institution par excellence for embodying modern technology, since their overriding concern is to maximize profits, and treating everything as resource is the best way to maximize profits.

Environmentalism and Sustainability

Sustainability is maintaining equilibrium with the ecosystem. Four accounts of sustainability are examined. Unlimited economic and population growth will create more environmental problems and thus not produce sustainability. Reducing population and dealing with climate change will help but do not deal with modern technology’s threat. If humans come to realize that the ecosystem is primary, that realization will produce sustainability, but it needs a firmer basis than emotional commitment.