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Lecture 4: Rooted in Our Humanity

Lecture 4: Rooted in Our Humanity. Previous Classes Review. An ecological o rientation helps us flourish Having ecological justice & being morally attentive Being a citizen of the world and the Earth. Today:. We should respect all life beyond humankind for direct moral reasons.

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Lecture 4: Rooted in Our Humanity

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  1. Lecture 4:Rooted in Our Humanity

  2. Previous Classes Review An ecological orientation helps us flourish Having ecological justice & being morally attentive Being a citizen of the world and the Earth

  3. Today: We should respect all life beyond humankind for direct moral reasons

  4. What is an environmentalist? Are they only concerned with the environment or humanity as well?

  5. Definitions • environmentalist – 2. one concerned about environmental quality especially of the human environment with respect to the control of pollution • environmentalist – supports goal of the environmental movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities • environmentalism – 1. a theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the development and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group • 2. advocacy of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment; especially the movement to control pollution

  6. Anthropocentrism A lot of environmentalists believe this philosophy They think this is the reason why we have so many ecological issues now What is anthropocentrism?

  7. Anthropocentrism(Human-Centeredness) The view that our lives ought to be centered around human interests and that we do not have to respect other forms of life or care for other living beings for their own sake

  8. What’s a human rights activist?

  9. What’s an environmental activist? By fighting for the environment, are they helping humans?

  10. Do people identify with nature? A quote to think about: “My heart was a storm in me as I went.” Homer’s Odyssey Is our humanity connected with nature?

  11. Question: Should we treat the environment and other life forms with the same moral respect that we treat humans? Why or why not?

  12. Is it possible to identify morally with nonhuman life? Before we answer that, some things to think about.

  13. What’s analogical identification? • How can you identify with someone? Since it isn’t exactly the same, technically we call it analogical identifying. But let’s just call it identifying.

  14. Quotes from Charles Dickens Facing our mortality gives us a sense of the human condition and what matters in life. It allows us connections with each other and perspective on when to enjoy life and when to be compassionate.

  15. Struggling against death is basic to all humans, and it’s something all humans share. Being humane, is sharing life’s struggles to flourish with another person doing the same. Do you think that because we all die that our mortality shapes our humanity?

  16. If you aren’t aware of mortality, do you think people will act for the general good of humans?

  17. Do you think people have an inherent moral mandate to other humans? And is this related to the fact that we can identify with each other?

  18. Slowly getting back to the original question. Is it possible to identify morally with nonhuman life? But not yet …

  19. An example: If someone was unfortunate, would you laugh at them in front of them? What’s wrong with doing that? If they didn’t see you laughing, is it still wrong?

  20. Another example: This time instead of a person, it’s a gorilla. If the gorilla was unfortunate, would you laugh at it in front of it? What’s wrong with doing that? If it didn’t see you laughing, is it still wrong?

  21. Do we respect other people’s lives even though they are different? Can we respect the gorilla’s life even though it’s different? If we can respect its life, than we can creatively open our sense of humanity towards animals

  22. Is it possible to identify morally with nonhuman life?

  23. If we identify with nonhuman life, then … we respect all other animals and their various, different lives out of a moral obligation to our own humanity.

  24. The Environment Would you take food from a hungry person? Would you take food from a hungry animal? Would you destroy either’s food source? So do you need to respect the environment to be moral to animals’ needs not just humans?

  25. Things to think about: What about concentration camps and factory-farmed animals? Are we respecting the lives of the animals?

  26. Wrap-up By analogical identification, we can morally identify with all humans and nonhuman life. We extend our moral sense of humanity. This brings us into a mental situation where we respect our entire environment and all life.

  27. Another Conversation • Read this article • http://banoosh.com/blog/2013/10/12/the-man-who-lives-without-money/ • What are his ecological views? • Is this truly possible? • What do you think about doing this?

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