Publisher's Synopsis
Most introductory texts in environmental ethics (and philosophy in general) are anthologies, and there are advantages to this approach. No philosopher is an expert on all aspects of the field, especially if practical concerns such as climate change, population, biodiversity and globalization are addressed. Moreover, if a course is taught by a single professor, an anthology exposes students to different positions on controversial topics written by their advocates, not merely mediated through the professor's worldview. Another advantage is that students have to grapple with challenging material that was written for professionals and academics, not just students. - - Moreover, the editor of an anthology can, without much thought, include several articles presenting a range of positions on a topic and just leave it to readers to decide which they prefer. The single author has to address the similarities and differences between a range of views, to make connections, to help readers who know nothing about the field to which the book is an introduction, to think for themselves. A single author can survey a field much more completely than can the editor of an anthology. The book introduces environmental problems and environmental ethics and surveys theories of the sources of the problems. Attfield also puts forward his own original contribution to the debates, advocating biocentric consequentialism among theories of normative ethics and defending objectivism in meta-ethics. The possibilities of ethical consumerism and investment are discussed, and the nature and basis of responsibilities for future generations in such areas as sustainable development are given detailed consideration. Attfield adopts an inclusive, cosmopolitan perspective in discussions of global ethics and citizenship, and illustrates his argument with a discussion of global warming.
