The Darwinian Nihilist Critique of Environmental Ethics

Bibliographic Data

ID15021717
AuthorsBrian F Snyder (0000-0002-9611-6061, corresponding author), Brian F Snyder Brian F Snyder
Year2017
Volume22
Issue2
Pages59
Publication date2017-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthics & the Environment (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1085-6633 • E-ISSN: 1535-5306
PublisherIndiana University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2979/ethicsenviro.22.2.03
OpenAlexW2769568085
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited12

Those interested in environmental protection are frequently motivated by the idea that environmental destruction is "bad" while environmental conservation is "good." In some cases, this is based merely on the anthropocentric instrumental value of the environment in relation to humans, but it seems more common that this motivation is generated by a belief that non-humans have intrinsic value, at least at some level of biotic organization. Yet, there is no basis for this claim that is not rooted in either theism or some other form of arbitrary value judgement that, in a materialistic worldview, has no basis outside of the believer's mind. Thus, secular-based environmental ethics that do not rely on theistic or metaphysical assumptions can never be prescriptive; materialistic conservation ethics can never prescribe behavior, they can only describe the arbitrary and fundamentally meaningless values of the philosopher

Darwinism · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Environmental Philosophy and Ethics · Evolution and Science Education · Philosophy · Religion, Ecology, and Ethics

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