Philosophy
the systematic, rational study of certain non-empirical but enduring questions emphasizing clearly stated arguments and analysis of key terms.
An empirical question
a question that could (at least in principle) be answered using observation and experimentation
taxonomy of views
in environmental ethics in terms of which things have intrinsic value
Anthropocentrism
the view that only human lives or experiences have intrinsic value
Sentientism
the view that all and only sentient entities have intrinsic value
Biocentric individualism
the view that all and only individual living organisms have intrinsic value
Holism
the view that holistic entities like species and ecosystems have intrinsic value
Pure holism
the view that only such entities have intrinsic value.
Pluralistic holism
the view that such entities have intrinsic value, but so do some or all of the entities listed above
Sentience
the capacity for conscious suffering and/or enjoyment
Keystone species
one on which other species depend so that its loss would dramatically change the ecosystem
Foundation species
a plant species that "can create conditions for other plant species to germinate and grow at high elevations
Assisted migration
moving a species to a location that it would not have reached in the same time frame through natural changes in its range. Advocated by some as a means to prevent extinction of various species.
Invasive species
a non-native species that spreads into a new ecosystem in ways that disrupt it.
on-going sense" of wilderness value
something is wild in a certain respect to the extent that it is not humanized in that respect. An entity is humanized in the degree to which it is influenced, altered or controlled by humans.
historical or genesis sense" of wildness value
wildness is "about the genesis or history of an organism, species, ecosystem or place, so something is valued as natural or wild inasmuch as it is not an artifact, and has emerged from forces and processes 'unmodified by human activity'.
Speciesism
valuing the interests of members of one species differently from the similar interests of another species.
objective intrinsic value
when it is claimed to have intrinsic independently of whether or not anyone actually values it intrinsically.
Ecosystem health as defined in class
an ecosystem is healthy when it is stable and provides various ecosystem services. (This is Varner's gloss on what Leopold meant by the term.)
Ecosystem integrity as defined in class:
an ecosystem has integrity when it is healthy and it retains its original complement of species. (This is Varner's gloss on what Leopold meant by the term.)
Two senses of "natural" were distinguished while discussing Sandler's essay
Anything that happens in accordance with the laws of nature" (compare the term "supernatural").
"Not the result of human intention" (the sense discussed by Sandler).
Highest and best use
A real estate term referring to the optimal use of a parcel, which is not necessarily the most profitable use, and includes comparing how few areas are left available for one of the uses of the parcel.
Leopold's "highest use" argument
This is the only place left for a valuable type of recreation of X, so although recreation of type Y on this parcel would raise more money, the "highest and best use" of this parcel is X rather than Y.
Necessary condition
a condition that something must meet in order to quality as falling in a category.
Sufficient condtion
a condition which, if something meets it, then that all by itself qualifies it as falling into the category.
Moral agent
one who is capable of thinking about ethical norms and modifying their behavior accordingly.
Moral patient
one who is not a moral agent but is morally considerable.
Personhood
the term "person" is used to mean different things in various contexts:
A) A member of our species (Homo sapiens)
B) One who has certain cognitive abilities
C) One who deserves certain legal/moral rights or respect
D) A philosophical conception of personh
Moral considerability
is an all-or-nothing thing; something either "matters" morally or it doesn't.
Moral significance
is comparative; some morally considerable things are said to "have greater moral significance" than others.
Universalizability
which is the requirement to judge similar cases similarly.
Overridingness
which is the assumption that moral norms should override other types of norms (of law, etiquette, etc.)
The "trump card" conception of moral rights
moral rights are "trump cards" against utilitarian arguments (where utilitarianism is the view that we ought to maximize aggregate happiness).
Animal welfare
taking a utilitarian approach to thinking about animals.
Animal rights
thinking of individual animals as having "trump cards against utilitarian arguments.
Communitarians
emphasize how essential connection with a community is to being human, sometimes echoing Aristotle's famous claim that 'man is by nature a political animal'
Necessary condition
a condition that something MUST meet in order to quality as falling in a category.
virtue theory
the focus is not on principles or rights, but on good character traits. A virtue, generally conceived, is a character trait or disposition that either contributes to a flourishing human life, or makes one likely to do the right thing
Moral standing
An entity has moral standing if and only if it has interests.
Interests
if and only if the fulfillment of its needs and/or desires creates intrinsic value
Intrinsic value
the value something has independently of its relationships to other things. The existence (flourishing, etc.) makes the world a better place, independently of its value to anything else or any other entity's awareness of it.
Plants
Unless stated otherwise, "plants" refers to all non-conscious organisms, including (presumably) all members of the plant kingdom, but also all members of the kingdoms fungi, monera, and protista, as well as some members of the animal kingdom (to be specif
The worse-off principle
applies where the harms involved are not comparable and requires us to avoid harming the "worse-off individual.
The miniride principle
applies where comparable harms are involved and requires that we override the rights of the few rather than the many.
subjective intrinsic value
when it is claimed that people do in fact value it intrinsically rather than just instrumentally
Subsistence hunting
hunting for food or other essentials
Sport hunting
hunting aimed at maintaining religious or cultural traditions, reenacting national or evolutionary history, practicing skills, competing with an animal's survival skills, or just securing a trophy
Therapeutic hunting
hunting that is designed to secure the aggregate welfare of the target species across generations, the health and/or integrity of the ecosystem, or both
obligatory management species
a species with a fairly regular tendency to overshoot the carrying capacity of its range, and in a way that degrades the range's capacity to support future generations of it and other species
permissive management species
a species that lacks that tendency
A conceptual framework
a set of beliefs, values, attitudes, and assumptions which shape and reflect how one views oneself and one's world
an oppressive conceptual framework
one that explains, justifies, and maintains relationships of domination and subordination
Ethics of care
an approach to ethical theory that focuses on how relationships determine appropriate attitudes and obligations of participants