Ecocentrism
Ecocentrism is an ethical perspective that emphasizes the intrinsic moral value of the natural world, advocating for its importance independent of human interests. Emerging from concerns over anthropocentrism—the belief that human interests are paramount—ecocentrism posits that humans are one component of a larger ecological community, deserving of equal consideration alongside nonhuman entities. This framework promotes the idea that human actions should prioritize the well-being of ecosystems and nonhuman life, particularly in situations where these interests conflict with human development.
Historically, figures like Aldo Leopold, Arne Naess, and George Sessions have shaped the principles of ecocentrism, which calls for a shift in ethical outlook towards recognizing the interconnectedness of all life forms. While some ecocentric thinkers advocate for the preservation of natural systems based on their intrinsic value, others encourage a deeper emotional connection to nature, suggesting that value cannot always be quantified.
Ecocentrism also critiques reliance on technological solutions for environmental problems, favoring lower-tech, sustainable approaches instead. However, it faces criticism for perceived misanthropy and the potential for authoritarianism, as some argue it may prioritize nature at the expense of human needs and community interests. Despite these critiques, ecocentrism seeks to foster a more respectful and equitable relationship between humanity and the natural world.
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Subject Terms
Ecocentrism
DEFINITION: The view that the natural world is morally important and should be valued independent of present or future human interests
Ecocentrism emerged from a concern that human interests, culture, and history have limited and shaped human understanding of ethics and of what is valuable, thereby obscuring the importance of the earth’s ecosystem.
Sometimes called deep ecological ethics or dark green ethics, ecocentrism is the view that the natural world is morally important and should be valued independent of present or future human interests; its importance should be reflected in human ethics and in human treatment of the earth. The natural world includes the organisms of the earth as well as the earth itself and its elements and ecosystems. Ecocentrism thus differs from anthropocentrism, which claims that only human interests and values ultimately matter or that they matter more than any other interests and values, and biocentrism, which extends moral importance only to certain animals or living organisms in addition to humans. Formulation of the ecocentric ethic is usually credited to Aldo Leopold; it was later developed by Arne Naess and George Sessions.
Ecocentrism calls for a new ethical outlook based on the recognition that human life has emerged from and is dependent on the ecosystem. Humans are one constituent part of a larger whole; they are, along with other inhabitants, equal citizens of the earth, not the earth’s masters. Such egalitarianism insists that human interests do not have automatic priority over the natural world. In some situations of conflict between human and nonhuman interests, priority should be granted to the nonhuman interests, as when commercial or economic development is restricted for the sake of or species preservation.
Demands for equality between humans and nonhumans are often based on claims that the natural world has intrinsic value, but intrinsic value has been understood in different ways. One approach recognizes that organisms such as plants have identifiable interests, or ends, that should be respected alongside those of sentient beings. Another claims fundamental value for the existence and preservation of all species. The value of the biotic is also identified with the robust, highly integrated functioning of the and features such as integrity, stability, and beauty.
Some ecocentric thinkers worry, however, that an appeal to objective and abstract properties has too much in common with the kinds of reductive and scientific analyses of the world that have contributed to environmental degradation. An alternative strategy appeals for the rediscovery of a sense of reverence toward nature in its abundance and vitality. It points to the human experience of nature as an endless series of sensuous particulars, stories and emotional encounters with places, that imply that the value of nature can never be fully articulated.
Ecocentrism is also practical. It denies that environmental ethics should be based on enlightened human self-interest and efficient management. Human understanding of the earth’s innumerable elements and systems, as well as humanity’s effects on them, is limited. The appropriate response is skepticism toward adopting technological solutions to environmental problems (technocentrism). Ecocentrism favors familiar lower-tech and environmentally friendly means of addressing ecological problems. Further, some go beyond practical concern for the and seek reform of the social structures and economic systems, including capitalism, that have caused neglect of the ecosystem. Others emphasize that the goals of ecocentrism should be secured through piecemeal and local action and argument rather than by appeal to big facts.
Critics of ecocentrism accuse it of misanthropy and authoritarianism; they assert that it uses claims about the earth’s intrinsic value dogmatically to secure priority for nature over individual people and communities. Some versions are also accused of mysticism and impracticality, insofar as they call for identification with a greater self or whole or an attitude of reverence toward something not fully understood.
Bibliography
Boylan, Michael, ed. Environmental Ethics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2001.
Curry, Patrick. Ecological Ethics: An Introduction. Malden, Mass.: Polity Press, 2006.
"Ecocentrism: A Refusal to Compromise on Ecological Integrity." Open Global Rights, 8 Feb. 2024, www.openglobalrights.org/ecocentrism-refusal-to-compromise-ecological-integrity/. Accessed 16 July 2024.
Jebari, Karim and Anders Sandberg. "Ecocentrism and Biosphere Life Extension." Science and Engineering Ethics, vol. 28, no. 46, 26 Oct. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-022-00404-2. Accessed 16 July 2024.
Sessions, George, ed. Deep Ecology for the Twenty-first Century. Boston: Shambhala, 1995.