The Concept of Paul Taylors Biocentric Ethics

ABSTRACT 

Ethics as an aspect of axiology has always existed strictly as a human affair. This had given rise to the conclusion that human centered ethics, in its conception and articulation is insufficient in the face of the present day environmental problem; since humans neither consider the natural world nor its wild living beings as entity worthy of moral consideration. With the three main components of Taylor’s ethics, namely: the beliefsystem, the attitude of respect for nature and the system of rules and principles, the study established the intelligibility and necessity of a life-centered theory of environmental ethics (which also is its main objective) against the prevailing anthropocentric view. To attain the above stated goal, the work employed the historical and analytical methods, interpretation and argumentation to explore data sourced from books, journals and articles. The analyses of the work under discussion revealed the following: (i) that it is intelligible to conceive a life-centered theory of environmental ethics similar to human ethics, (ii) It is also a necessity because human ethics is insufficient in our present day environmental problems, (iii) human claim of superiority over nonhuman living beings could not be philosophically justified (iv) the nonhuman living beings of the natural world have inherent worth of their own, which does depend on their usage in furthering any human end. Despite the challenges and conflicts inherent in life-centered theory of environmental ethics, the study saw the possibility of adopting Taylor’s biocentric ethics as a means of solving the present day environmental problems and also articulating new environmental concern.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Approval Page ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ii

Certification ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- iii

Dedication ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - iv

Acknowledgements ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- v

Abstract ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- ---- ---- -- 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - 3

1.3 Purpose of the Study ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- 4

1.4 Scope of the Study ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 4

1.5 Significance of the Study ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- 5

1.6 Methodology ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------ 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ---- ---- ---- --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 7

Endnotes ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- 23

CHAPTER THREE: THE CONCEPT OF PAUL TAYLOR’S BIOCENTRIC

ETHICS

3.1 Life and Biocentrism ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- 26

3.2 The Critique of Anthropocentric Ethics ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- --- 29

3.3 The Attitude of Respect ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 34

3.4 The Belief System ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 39

3.5 The System of Rules and Standards ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- 48

Endnotes ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 55

CHAPTER FOUR: RESOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS

4.1 The Nature of these Conflict---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 59

4.2 The Application of the Priority Principles -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - 61

4.3 The Ethics of Bioculture ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 71

4.4 Ethical harmony between Humans and Nonhumans - ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - 73

Endnotes ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - 76

CHAPTER FIVE: EVALUATION

5.1 Important Considerations on Taylor’s Biocentric Ethics ---- ---- -- ---- ---- ---- -- 78

5.2 The Implications of Taylor’s Biocentric Ethics ---- ---- - ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - 79

5.3 Challenges to Taylor’s Ethics ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 84

Summary And Conclusion ---- ---- ---- ---- - ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- 90

Endnotes ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- - ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 92

BIBLIOGRAPHY