Position
Anthropocentric Moral Standing
Only human beings have direct moral standing; duties concerning nonhuman nature derive from its effects on present or future human interests.
Classification
- Position level
- specific
- Domains
- Ethics , Philosophy of Nature
Overview
This view can support strong environmental protection without treating nonhuman nature as an end in itself. Ecosystems, species, and animals matter because human health, livelihood, culture, and future well-being depend on them.
Position on
References
- Bryan G. Norton, 'Environmental Ethics and Weak Anthropocentrism', Environmental Ethics 6 (1984), pp. 131–148
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, §1