Humanism and anti-humanism in environmental values
This thesis identifies a family of humanist presuppositions which, I argue, pervade modern Western society and are partly responsible for our inability to escape from a spiral of environmental destruction. For example, humanist ethical theories frequently assume the existence of an objective / subjective divide, autonomous rational individuals and a neutral rationality. I argue that these assumptions, which are peculiar to our society, provide a wholly inappropriate basis for the expression of many environmental concerns. Humanism imposes particular taxonomies and interpretations on social and environmental relations; these facilitate the treatment of nature as a resource rather than as a part of our (ethical) community. At the theoretical level, humanism develops explicit systems of ''formal rationaiity~ which purport to be neutral e.g. axiological systems like neoclassical economics and utilitarianism. However, these systems reduce environmental evaluation to the bureaucratic application of abstract methodologies and, far from being neutral, they impose a particular humanist ideology on decision making processes which marginalises those who speak in a different voice. I develop an alternative perspective;
Smith, Michael Frederick
Humanism ; Humanism Forecasting ; Environmentalism
Humanism and anti-humanism in environmental values. This thesis identifies a family of humanist presuppositions which, I argue, pervade modern Western society and are partly responsible for our inability to escape from a spiral of environmental destruction. For example, humanist ethical theories frequently assume the existence of an objective / subjective divide, autonomous rational individuals and a neutral rationality. I argue that these assumptions, which are peculiar to our society, provide a wholly inappropriate basis for the expression of many environmental concerns. Humanism imposes particular taxonomies and interpretations on social and environmental relations; these facilitate the treatment of nature as a resource rather than as a part of our (ethical) community. At the theoretical level, humanism develops explicit systems of ''formal rationaiity~ which purport to be neutral e.g. axiological systems like neoclassical economics and utilitarianism. However, these systems reduce environmental evaluation to the bureaucratic application of abstract methodologies and, far from being neutral, they impose a particular humanist ideology on decision making processes which marginalises those who speak in a different voice. I develop an alternative perspective;
humanism anti humanism environmental value identifies family humanist presupposition argue pervade modern_western society partly responsible inability escape spiral environmental destruction example humanist ethical_theory frequently assume existence objective subjective divide autonomous rational individual neutral rationality argue assumption peculiar society provide wholly inappropriate basis expression many environmental concern humanism impose particular taxonomy interpretation social_environmental relation facilitate treatment nature resource rather part ethical community theoretical level humanism develop explicit system formal purport neutral system like neoclassical economics utilitarianism however system reduce environmental evaluation bureaucratic application abstract methodology far neutral impose particular humanist ideology decision_making_process speak different voice develop_alternative perspective